Time Stands Still
by DarkNyarth
Summary: As a long dead relative from Gabriel's past tries to deliver a cryptic warning, an ancient evil threatens two generations of the Ritter family line.
1. Part 1

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 1 

Burning... Flames reaching higher and higher devouring lifeless wood ravenously, flaming tongues brushing tender flesh-- Screams. Popping cells of skin, melting off of sinew and muscle-- cartilage and bone. A hoarse throat continues agonized cries, muddled by the jeers of a raging crowd. Legs first, consumed by fire... Her body was engulfed in the conflagration. As the flames exposed the tender throat, even the rough gasps ceased, though she lived on for several moments more to experience every ounce of misery... The devil's whore.

Kail turned away from the scene and shook his head, black hair falling in tumbles across his young face. He was drawn, obviously disturbed... Complexion pale and eyes downcast with more than a hint of remorse. Reinhold turned and clapped him on the back.

"What's wrong with ye lad?" His gruff voice billowed into the night, rising above the mob that was still in its state of gang frenzy. His gray main was tossed back by the wind, haggard face smiling. "We've done the Lord well this evening. Now her soul will find the damnation that it deserves."

Kail cast his uncle an angry glance. "If ye thinks that in thy heart, then thou art no better than those fiends we hunt."

Nonplussed, his uncle shrugged. "Purity by fire lad. It's been done fer generations. We won't change the methods now."

"But uncle, the methods are antiquated. A new age is upon us and certainly the crimes and punishments must be seen as they are-- brutal sadism for something barely able to be proven."

"Watch your tongue, Lad." Reinhold took a dangerous tone. "That's blasphemy yer talkin."

"But uncle, how can you call an educated and proven observation blasphemous?" Kail sighed. "Me thinks that blasphemy is a frightened man's label for progress."

"I'll have no more o' this talk." His uncle turned away. "Come along. We must be off to Schloss Ritter." Kail followed albeit slow, his scowl enough to drop a grown man dead.

"Damnit Grace!" Gabriel cursed, leaning against the wall as he looked at what had been his studio. "What the hell did you do?"

"Gabriel, you told me to do whatever was necessary for the store. If it needed anything, just do it." She crossed her arms. "Well, the store was growing and it was moving toward your studio. You don't stay there anymore anyway."

"That's not the point. There was a certain... aesthetic value to it. It was _mine_."

"It still is yours and you're welcome to sleep there anytime you want."

He scowled at her and turned away, walking over to where his bed had stood. "Oh man..." He muttered, shaking his head. The phone rang out in the office and Grace turned away from the moping Gabriel to answer it.

"Saint George's Rare Books." She answered, taking a seat in her chair.

"Hello?" A man's voice, thick with a hint of an accent. "Is there a Gabriel Knight there?"

"Hold on just a moment." Grace set the phone down and turned to Gabriel. "Paging Mr. Knight to the front desk please. You have a call on line one."

Gabriel frowned and joined her at the desk. "Are you trying to make this place seem like a K Mart?" He took the phone. "Hello?" He had a hard time keeping the irritation from his voice.

"Herr Knight?" The voice asked, frantic... tense.

"Yeah, I'm Knight. What can I do for you?"

"I need to see you immediately. It's of the utmost importance."

"I see." Gabriel looked at Grace oddly. "And uh... who are you again?"

"No time to explain. Meet me at the Napoleon House, tonight. Seven O' Clock. Don't be late..." Gabriel looked at the phone oddly a moment and dropped it back on the hook.

"That was strange." He commented, squinting in thought.

"What was it?" Grace looked up at him, her eyes betraying the curiosity that her voice capably hid.

"I've no idea. Some fan I reckon. Wants to see me at Napoleon's tonight at seven."

"Are you going to go?"

He shrugged. "Actually, I had been thinking about it anyway. Figure I could take advantage of his new happy hour..."

"If you're going to meet someone you've never seen, don't you think it would be best to be clear headed?"

Gabriel chuckled. "Grace, my head is always clear."

"Now if you could just say the same about your conscience."

"Well, I could if you'd quit tellin everyone about all those nasty things we did together."

"You're impossible." She turned away annoyed and he smiled before wandering over to sit on the leather sofa-- another new addition. "Is there anything here that's the same?"

"Well, the smell from that mini freezer you had has been lingering if you want nostalgia." Grace was examining books as she spoke and barely spared him a glance.

"Man, I hate change." He pushed himself to his feet and grabbed his coat. "I'm going out for a bit, Grace."

"Have fun, Gabriel." Her tone flat.

He walked outside and frowned at the neighborhood around him. There was hardly a structure still standing that he remembered. He figured that things wouldn't possibly change so much on him... Getting older? Hell with that! It takes more than just renovations to make Gabriel Knight feel old...

Clacking of glasses, the low murmur of conversation-- the occasional laugh. Gabriel leaned back in his chair with his foot propped on the table, sipping a beer. It was a stale brew, certainly not up to his now refined European tastes but the best they served at the Napoleon. Schloss Ritter was inundated by the local brewery and he had to admit feeling somewhat important in the fact that they would take any suggestion he had to make. Flattering to say the least. The life of a Shattenjager wasn't all bad.

Seven O' clock came and went and he consumed five beers before deciding that his admirer wasn't going to show up. Probably either wanted his autograph or to assault him for what some considered trash writing. Hard to consider it too trashy... getting on the New York Time's List wasn't that easy. He had half a dozen failed books to prove it.

Gabriel pushed himself up from the table and wandered toward the door, deftly avoiding other more inebriated patrons. It was chilly outside and he pulled his coat about him, tying it off to provide any extra warmth he could squeeze from it. The air had a rancid stench to it like rotten cabbage and he wrinkled his nose as he climbed on his bike to depart.

Two slaps on his shoulders made him jump and as he turned around he heard a haggard, familiar voice yell in his ear as someone climbed on behind him. "Go you! Go!" Gabriel began to protest but insistence compelled him to ask questions later. He kicked the bike to roaring life and peeled out away from the curb, speeding away from the Napoleon off throughout the quarter.

"What the hell?" Gabriel called behind him, wondering if it was safe to stop.

"Thank you, son... You've saved us both." The voice was tired and broken, a faint touch of illness edged it out.

"Care to tell me what the hell's going on?"

"In time, Gabriel. In time." The knowing tone irritated Gabriel and he halted the bike at a street corner and turned to face the man.

Long gray hair tied back in a ponytail escaped in tiny wisps. His hazel eyes were exhausted with tremendous purple bags resting below them. Blood caked his bristled chin and his clothes were worn and ragged. He smelled of musty sweat and earth, a combination that made Gabriel sneer.

"You'd best talk now, buddy or you can walk from here."

"We don't have time!" The old man cried. "They'll be upon us soon!"

"Who? The cops? What'd you steal?"

"I have stolen nothing... We are in danger because of who you are and the fact that I attempted to warn you."

"Oh yeah?" Gabriel looked at him through half closed eyes. "And uh... who is it that we're in danger of again? Cause of how I wrote the last book perhaps?"

"Don't be an idiot, Gabriel!" The man scolded. "You know well what I mean. Your bloodline is very strong and you can't pretend for a minute that no one knows but who you bother to tell. Stop being so naïve."

Gabriel blinked at him a moment and sighed. "Alright, what the hell?"

"I've been running a long time Gabriel. Is there anywhere we can go that's more conducive than this drab night air?" Gabriel could see that the man was shivering, perhaps it was by will alone that he was still sitting up. He nodded and pulled away from the curb, driving for the hotel that he had secured since Grace told him before he came that the studio was gone.

Parking in the garage, Gabriel waited for the man to dismount before hopping off and dropping the kickstand. "Alright old man," He began turning to face him. "I'll facilitate you but--" A sharp pain exploded on the back of his neck, dropping him to the ground heavily.

Red flooded over his eyes-- darkness. A trembling hand reached out, head lifted, eyes opened painfully slow. Blurred vision revealed a large gray block... Movement. Nothing.


	2. Part 2

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 2 

An eerie breeze fluttered through the ancient oaks leaves rustling anxiously. Some bird of prey swept out of the night to scoop up a rodent, it's startled cry ripped the night and fell silent. The clopping of hooves on soft earth rhythmically lulled Kail's senses as he sat on his mount in silent contemplation, his uncle Reinhold in the lead.

They had been traveling for a good four hours at a fair pace but finally they had slowed the pace to compensate for the overgrowth of the path they chose. While not the safest road to Rittersburgh, it was certainly the quickest and speed was always important to Reinhold. Passing by another branch he was forced to duck, Kail suddenly stopped his mount the hairs on the back of his neck rising with his awareness.

"Uncle..." He began but Reinhold put up a gloved hand.

"I hear it lad." He whispered harshly, dismounting from his horse and drawing his sword.

"Best hop down. There'll be disadvantage with the steeds in this mess a trees."

Kail climbed off his horse and drew his own blade his eyes darting about, squinting against the blackness of night. The breeze died down and they were left in near silence-- The rustling of their horses and the beating of their hearts pounded painfully in their ears... Eternity in waiting.

It happened all at once and they were given just enough time to fall back to back to face the opponents. Garbed in black with drawn masks at least four men darted out from the path with blades brandished silently charging to attack.

Reinhold pressed forward blocking a swing and countering with a pommel strike to the man's face. As his first victim fell back with a sickening crunch, he swung the sword wide, the blade biting deep into the brigand's side. A gurgling cry exploded across the night as he ripped the sword away and the dead man fell to the ground.

Kail danced aside a thrust and chopped a vicious wound to the man's arm, turning just in time to parry a swing aimed at his head. He kicked his opponent in the gut forcing him back several paces spinning with a low swing to behead his other victim.

As Kail faced off with his other attacker, he heard a strangled cry rip into his soul and a glance told him that Reinhold had fallen. Desperately, he pressed a frenzied attack against the man, disarming him and thrusting his sword deep into his chest. Pushing his body from the blade with his boot, he turned to see the last of the four brigands holding his stomach as blood pumped from an open wound-- Reinhold's last act.

Setting his sword down beside his uncle he lifted the aged man into his arms and examined his wound. It was a deep cut in his chest, near the heart but he still lived. Reinhold's eyes fluttered open, breathing rasped and wet. Exploring his nephew's face a moment he spoke slowly.

"Kail... We... won."

"Aye we did at that, uncle." Tears welled in his eyes and he bit his lip. His breathing became shallow his heart in his throat.

"You... must..." Reinhold closed his eyes to contend with a rush of pain before continuing. "Take the Talisman... You're... the Shattenjager... now."

"Uncle, no." Kail shook his head the tears freely falling.

With great effort, Reinhold pulled the Ritter family talisman over his head and pressed it against Kail who tentatively took it. "You've trained... well... Kail..." A fit of coughing cut the statement short the blood ran from his face. "Serve the family well..." A bout of pain racked his body-- Trembling then tension... then silence. Reinhold was dead.

Kail took a deep breath and almost fell to total grief but then he noticed something... The rasping of the last brigand. Eyes full of hate Kail set his uncle down, sliding the talisman over his head. Lifting his sword, he approached the last man, stopping a moment to look into his eyes rising the sword back above his head...

Cold skin tingled painfully... Aching head flopped back against a soft cushion drawing a wince from handsome features. The world's worst hang over... He tried to bring his arm up to rub his neck but found himself restrained, palms down on the arms of a chair. Eyes blinked open, squinting through the haze.

A hotel... It had to be. Drab furniture, a cheap television set, bent up venetian blinds along with a beige blanketed bed. Gabriel frowned and examined his bonds feeling ill from the pain in his neck. His hands were tied down with leather straps, firmly secured somehow below the arms of the chair.

Glancing about, he saw the old man in a similar situation though he had yet to recover. He glanced down quickly, the glint of the talisman caught his eye and he sighed with relief. What the hell was happening? Awareness quickly returned to him as self-preservation kicked in.

"Wake up!" He rasped leaning toward the old man. You wake up!"

The aged head stirred and he leaned back against the chair and moaned pursing his lips. His breathing was slow and his eyes remained firmly shut. "Hey!" Gabriel whispered again. "We're in a lot of trouble here! Wake up!"

Gray hair obscuring his eyes he looked over at Gabriel and blinked awake. "Where... where are we?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Gabriel sighed and tested the strength his bonds. No breaking them. "I was hoping that you'd have some clue."

"I have none." His raspy voice broke on the last word. His lips were cracked and he looked incredibly malnourished. Under the more distinct light of the room, Gabriel was able to see just how ill the man really was.

"What's wrong with you?" Gabriel was in no mood to mince words. "Don't take this the wrong way but you look really awful."

"'Tis to be expected." His voice took a cryptic tone. "I've been running for a long time."

"Mind giving me some answers now?" Gabriel was starting to get angry. "Why are we in this predicament? Who's after you?"

"They are after us both, Gabriel." He looked at him with tired eyes. "They are murderers... A sacred order. Ages old, they have hunted our-- your kind for generations."

"Our kind eh? Who the hell are you? Stop being evasive!"

The old man slumped his head forward, his breathing erratic. "Stay with me!" Gabriel cried but it was no good. He had fallen unconscious. "Damnit!" He looked around the room frantically, his mind working quickly. Examining the chair, the bonds were placed on the arms, which cut at an angle to meet with the base. He wouldn't be able to slide the straps off the chair.

He took a deep breath and tried to move forward but he was too far back in the chair and he couldn't get any real footing. 'Way easier in the movies.' He complained taking a deep breath as he scanned around for another alternative.

A familiar voice resounded in the hall, quiet at first but becoming more and more distinct each moment. Muttering... though more like personal conversation. Mosely! What the hell was he doing there? It mattered little...

"Mosely!" Gabriel yelled as loud as he could, his voice rasped by the strain. "Mosely! Over here!"

"Gabriel?" He heard his friend's voice call confused. "But yer supposed to be in room 209! What're you doin in--"

"Help me man!" He interrupted. "I'm tied up!"

He heard him curse as a somewhat powerful leg struck the door. A crack, a tremble but the door still stood. Another strike and Gabriel heard it complain further, the upper hinge's snapping out of the wall. Finally, with a third powerful blow, the door flew open, hanging by one Mosely stood at the door, gun drawn.

"What the hell's goin on here Knight?" He asked, cautiously moving through the door eyes alert.

"I got attacked in the garage. Help me outta this." He strained at the straps a moment to emphasize his need.

Mosely gave one last look around before putting away his weapon and pulling out a pocketknife. "Seems that you get into the strangest trouble these days..."

"Better than demonic transference, eh Mostly?" Gabriel tried to be light but in truth his heart was pounding. He was quite ready to leave.

"Yeah," Mosely shook his head. "I don't even want to THINK about that again, Knight." He finished with the first bond and handed Gabriel the knife. "You take care of the other one... Who's this?" He beckoned to the old man curiously.

"I'm not sure but he's the reason I'm here I suspect. There was someone after him." Gabriel finished cutting his other bond and pushed himself from the chair to start cutting the old man's bonds. "Unfortunately, we don't have time to talk about it now, Mose... Can we go to the station maybe?"

Mosely shrugged. "Sure. I don't see why not. Probably be safe enough 'til we figure out what the hell's happening."

Gabriel finished cutting the leather straps and glanced at Mosely. "Help me out here." They lifted him together, draping an arm over their shoulders and heaving him out. "I suspect you brought a car?"

Mosely nodded and grunted. "Sure did. This guy is heavy!"

Kail leaned against a tree head bowed in prayer. The sun was shedding its light from the Eastern horizon the damp morning air a visible mist stretched as far as the eye could see. Birds chirped their melodies a strange offset to the graphic scene that decorated the path.

Kail looked up into the sky tears trailed down his cheeks, the talisman glimmering on his chest. He looked down at the bodies of the fallen and frowned ripping a small broach from one of their cloaks. It was a strange design, a humming bird surrounded by a laurel. He dropped it into his pocket and mounted his horse Reinhold's body was tied on to his own mount. He looked down at his mentor and felt his chest constrict. They had traveled long together and everything he knew, he had learned from this man-- this dead man staring lifelessly up at him. He hurried off, leading the horse behind his own as he continued the journey to Schloss Ritter-- and a bitter homecoming it would be.


	3. Part 3

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 3 

Flash! Bright, burning light... fades away accompanied by a blaring wail overhead. Motion and rhythm... a bumpy ride. A carriage gone insane. Illness returning again... hot and cold wafting over his aged senses, eyes glued shut with hot tears, lips painfully dry. Listening...

"Gabriel, what the hell's goin on?" An irritated voice... off to the left. No one he recognized. The name... Gabriel. He was safe.

"I have no idea!" Gabriel's voice-- the Shattenjager. He was indeed safe. "Just get us to the station. I have a bad feeling out here tonight. This phone work?"

Their conversation dulled to his ears and he fell back to the seat, brow furrowed in pain. Muscles contracted oddly and his bones ached. The back of his head felt as though someone had cracked it open and he could feel the oozing blood spill from an open wound. Unconsciousness overtook him like being submerged in a warm liquid...

He was dying.

It was obvious. He had seen enough men die in his lifetime, witnessed the expression upon their faces... held their hand through the end to know. He hadn't much time. And worst of all, he would die before giving Gabriel any information... Warning aside, he needed more. If he only hadn't been so cryptic...

A woman in white stepped forward, her hand extended. Long flowing hair danced about her as though some pleasant sea breeze were attacking her from all sides... The gown furled behind her and snapped audibly, the texture seeming of silk... "Come to me..." Her ethereal voice beckoned him forward, requested him to take her hand... "You've served your time, my love..."

Duty wrestled with temptation. He suddenly missed her so much. Porcelain skin-- green eyes... her generous smile. That wasn't so long ago and now he was offered his reward for his service... A life filled with torment. A life void of happiness. All made better at the end to spend his eternity with her.

He looked down at himself and marveled. Young... he was young again. Strength surged through his body, a vigor he'd lost. The weariness was gone. When had it started? When was it that age began to rip through his soul and take away all that was precious to him? What sort of horrid dream would grant it for a time and not allow it to come true...

He struggled with himself a moment, his mind and soul at conflict. This was no dream. This was the turning point for his spirit. His mind screamed to him of duty. His heart cried out for release. Emotions for him had always been strong but he'd never been their slave... 'Fight you fool... fight.'

The warmth began to fade and a sudden chill assaulted him. His face was wet, warm saliva clinging to his cheek. The numb tingling in his legs and throbbing pain in his head told him this was not the eternity that he may have been promised but rather that his mind won the battle. He was returned for duty... again.

The castle loomed in the distance and Kail breathed a sigh of relief. Two days of travel had him weary and though the weather had been favorable he felt worn and chilled to the bone. It had been a warm day but as the sun descended beyond the horizon the air dropped in temperature and he trembled-- his body completely exhausted.

Miles, the stable hand ran out to greet him but the smile on his young face dripped away as his eyes fell upon the body of Reinhold draped over his horse. "What in God's name happened Kail?" His voice broke from grief and tears were already welling in his eyes.

"We were attacked by bandits." Kail answered evenly... his emotions had been taxed upon holding the man in his last moments of life and while he was still grieving, he didn't have the capacity at the moment to sound too depressed.

"This is terrible..." He heard Miles say, shaking his head. "Horrible tragedy..."

Kail dismounted and pulled his uncle off of the mount. "Take the horses in and get them cleaned up and fed, will you Miles? I'll get Reinhold to the chapel for the ceremony." With a strength his frame didn't betray, he lifted the burly dead man on to his shoulder and bore him off to the back gate.

He heard the challenge cry of Johan, one of the five guards under the employ of the Shattenjagers. "Who goes there?" The tension in his voice caught Kail off guard. Perhaps something more was amiss than his uncles demise...

"Johan, it's Kail." He grunted, the burden finally getting to him. "Something has happened! Reinhold is dead!"

"What?" Johan's voice sounded strained and he sighed wearily. "Then we have been on alert for good reason."

"We need to talk but I must get Uncle Reinhold to the chapel. Can you call out Kristov?" Kail had reached the gate now and was able to just barely make out Johan in the door, obscured by the shadows. He was a tall man, well built with a mail shirt and chain coif over his head. He was leaning on a spear.

"Certainly." He turned and took a few steps into the castle and called out in a loud voice.

"Kristov! Lord Kail is back, get over to the East Gate."

The call was answered by a muffled affirmation and Johan turned back to help Kail bring Reinhold into the courtyard. As they set him down, Kail rubbed his shoulder and circled his arm both falling stiff quickly. "Tell me what's been going on Johan?"

"It's your father sir.... Someone tried to kill him."

"What?" Kail had had just about had enough of these attempts on the lives of his family. "What are you talking about?"

"It happened three nights ago. An assassin crept into the castle and tried to end your father's life."

"Did you catch him?"

"We were forced to slay him."

"Is father alright?"

"A bit shaken but he was able to fend off the villain until we arrived."

"Can you and Kristov see to Reinhold? I'm off to see him." He didn't wait for a response as he crossed the quiet courtyard and entered the castle, jogging up the stairs to his father's room. "Father?" He called, knocking once before entering.

He encountered his father sitting at his desk pinching the bridge of his nose. He was an aged man, a bit older than Reinhold though not nearly as burly. Kail had received the majority of his build from his father-- the fairness of skin and hair from his mother. "Kail?" His father asked, voice drawn with worry.

"Aye, 'tis me." Kail hurried over and leaned against the desk. "What in God's name is happening?"

"I was attacked... 'tis nothing now. The fiend was driven off."

"Father, Uncle Reinhold is dead." Kail took a deep breath. "And if someone tried to kill you too..." He let his words trail a moment and clucked his tongue. "Is someone after us?"

"We have many enemies son." His father leaned back in his chair. "We always have to have our guard up." He looked at the talisman. "I see that Reinhold passed it on before he died."

Kail nodded slowly. "He did. I wouldn't have donned it until ordained otherwise."

"You are a worthy choice, my son." His father smiled. "But now we need to worry about this current threat."

Kail reached into his pocket and pulled out the broach he'd taken from the assassin. "I found this on one of the bodies of the brigands that attacked us." He dropped it on the table. "Have you ever seen its like?"

His father examined the broach carefully, squinting with obvious concern. "This belongs to a guild, son. Specifically, the carpenter's guild. This must be a mistake."

"No mistake father. This was taken from the man who stabbed Uncle Reinhold... I took it from his cloak."

"I can only assume that it was stolen from one of the guild members. Your attackers _were_ brigands." He reminded.

"But father, why would brigands attack two lone men with the intent to kill without any warning or threat? No challenge at all. They didn't bother to ask us for anything. They just charged out of the woods without a sound and attempted to waylay us."

"I understand your concern, Kail but we can't assume that the merchant's in the carpenter's guild are wicked."

"You and Reinhold shared the same illusion. We can ask about there. We can narrow it down to ranks within the guild to maybe a particular person beside the man that we slew. Perhaps find out where the true nature of this lies and seek it out to destroy it before we fall under its machinations."

"Kail, I give you leave to explore whatever possibility you see fit but remember that we must be careful in our inquisitions..."

"Of course father." Kail nodded as he turned to leave. "I have more of a capacity for insight than either Reinhold or you ever had... I won't falsely accuse anyone."

"See that you don't." His father rose and met him at the door. "God speed son. Good luck." They embraced a moment and Kail patted his father on the shoulder before proceeding down the hall to his own room.

"Tell me what the hell you wanted when you got on my bike, damnit!" Gabriel fumed in front of the elder man as they sat in the confines of Mosely's office. They had arrived not a half hour earlier but the older man was still in a state of recovery from wounds tended at the hospital. At four o' clock in the morning without any real sleep and only a crack on the head for comfort, Gabriel wasn't in the most pleasant of moods.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel..." The man took a deep breath. "I came to you to warn you about a cult... an order that has been attempting to destroy the Ritter family line for generations... They are after you now."

"Great." Gabriel sat on the desk and regarded the man through half closed eyes. "And would you mind telling me why they want us dead? What the hell did we do to them?"

"They are a society that serves a formidable enemy to anything good in this world..."

"Cut the melodrama!" Gabriel pushed himself from the desk and paced. "I want to know what these guys want, how they operate and where they are..."

Mosely nodded agreement. "You tell us who they are and we'll go pick em up. They won't be hurtin anyone then."

The old man shook his head. "Neither of you understand!" He scowled at Gabriel. "These men aren't so simple as to be 'picked up'. They are assassins! Generations in training and skill. They are who you least expect when you least expect. You may kill one but then you'll have the countless others to contend with."

"Great so I'm basically going to be living the rest of my life with a target on my head, is that right?"

"In a sense, that will always be the case as you well know... But in this instance, you can fight and you can win."

"Okay, tell me. What do I have to do?" Gabriel leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "And who the hell is behind it all?"

"They have no formal name." He sighed. "They worship the god Ali Nocht."

Gabriel paled noticeably his arms dropping to his sides. He looked over at Mosely with wide eyes and bit his lip. "First Leber now this..."

Mosely looked confused. "Huh? What about Leber?"

"Leber gave me a call a couple weeks ago while I was still in Rittersburgh. He thought that he needed to bring to my attention a crime he was investigating... One he felt that I would have some interest in." He looked up at the ceiling. "Apparently, a young man was found dead in the Munich subway... he'd had his throat cut. The strange part was that there were some ritualistic carvings on the body..."

"And why did Leber call you?"

"After the... the Von Glower incident, I filled him in on what I was... about the Shattenjäger business. He had little choice but to believe and even found it within him to offer some kind of assistance." He sighed. "The strange part of it all was that the man who was killed shared my families name. His name was Alexander Ritter. I didn't see anything important involving it at the time but... perhaps this is related."

"It very well could be." The older man piped in. "They want your family. They won't segregate and they will be thorough."

"That's just perfect." Gabriel said turning his back to the both of them, looking through the one-way mirror into the station. Mosely frowned after him and regarded the man sitting in front of him.

"So why haven't you told us who you are?" Mosely asked. "I mean, for all we know yer in on this whole deal tryin to lead us astray."

"That's not the case. I assure--" The old man grasped his chest falling from the chair to his knees a grunt of pain exploding from his withered body. Mosely was up in an instant kneeling beside him.

"What's wrong fella?" Mosely took him on either shoulder and tried to lay him down but was met with surprising resistance. "What the hell? Gabriel help me!"

Gabriel moved over and took the man's other side and they forced him to the ground. Mosely checked his pulse and shook his head. "This guys really freakin." He commented more to himself. "Gabriel, get out there and tell em to get an ambulance. We need to get this guy back to the hospital and fast."

Gabriel turned to leave but his hand was clasped with an iron grip. "Gabriel..." The aged man managed. "It's always who... you least expect... Ali Nocht... The Maliphrae..." His voice broke and he gasped for air before continuing. "Your uncle's... memoirs...." He fell back with a final gurgle as blood surfaced from his mouth sliding down his cheek like a slow motion river, dripping on the floor. His breathing ceased and his body settled to the ground quite dead.


	4. Part 4

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 4 

"Move and you're dead." The voice was completely unfamiliar... a harsh whisper in his ear. Whoever it was had snatched a handful of hair with one hand the other gripped a blade which was pressed tightly to his throat constricting even the most subtle grimace. Despite the rage that built in him fear was prevalent so he grunted affirmation of the demand.

"Good, let's go." He was pulled back into the dark alley walking stiffly as neither hand nor blade let loose their grip.

He was violently turned and slammed into the cold brick wall of the pub, the knife searing his flesh and his body tensed in fear that he had met his end. "Wh-wh-what do y-you want... with m-me..." He stuttered, whispering in fear that any louder and he would be killed instantly.

"I have a few questions for you." The voice whispered to him again and his face was pressed against the bricks the texture painful against his tender cheek... he could smell mildew on the aged rock as fear began to numb his body.

"Who... who are you?"

"That's not important. What is important is that you answer my questions. Missing any members?"

"What?" The blade pressed against him tighter and his speech rose as his neck tensed.

"Wait! Wait!" He gasped. "There have been some members who've disappeared but they disappeared from town so we... we didn't pay it any mind!"

"I see." The man heaved a sigh. "Are you in the business of thievery?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" He suddenly came to some inner realization that he might not make it through the man's inquisition. Tears started to run down his chubby cheeks.

"Really?" The voice harbored a great deal of disbelief. "I think that you do. I think that your men set upon some travelers and killed them for their gold. Do you deny these charges?"

"Charges? What on God's Earth are you talking about? We've done nothing wrong!"

"I have one of your broaches found at the scene... clasped to the cloak of one of the men. Do you wish to deny that the Carpenter's guild had anything to do with it?"

"Indeed!" He felt anger rising in his stomach bringing his heart to bear. "We are not criminals sir and those men that disappeared from the town... well, they were believed to have been attacked while on the road. The broach you have is most definitely stolen."

Kail frowned and looked down. He believed the fat slob much as he didn't wish to. However, their were many wealthy men in the guild and certainly if one of them was working with brigands he would know that there was someone after him soon. A decision had to be made.

"Alright... Do you want to live?" His whisper was dangerous-- barely audible above the stirring of the street beyond.

"Of course." The man answered as evenly as he could.

"If you tell anyone of this... _anyone_ I will find you..." He pushed his face to the wall painfully. "And it will not be so pleasant a visit." He hurled the man to the street and dashed away rounding the corner before the man even thought to glance back. With his heart pounding painfully in his chest, he clambered to his feet and rushed away.

Breathing... The soft sound of breath echoed in the tiny room interrupted only by the subtle ticking of a clock somewhere in the room. Gabriel was reading intently, pouring over a book lying on his desk. Mosely was dozing on the leather sofa, his mouth open wide.

"Ah!" Gabriel exclaimed turning to the SIDNEY terminal and flipping it on. A moment later, it prompted for his query and he dialed in 'Diary AND Wolfgang Ritter'. The machine politely asked him to wait and he sighed, leaning back in his chair looking at the book. It was on the demon called the 'Maliphrae', something which he had so recently been forced to deal with. The thing had been bound to a silver ring as it had once before by one of his ancestors. But before it could be banished away from Earth, the ring was stolen and the creature eventually escaped with more than a little vengeance in mind.

Grace had been researching the creature since the incident seeking out any information on how to get rid of it. Unfortunately, it had been proving nearly fruitless. They had a great deal of information on the creature itself but little on how to get rid of it. If they could just find the ritual...

But it was something that had to be put on hold.... Mundane affairs kicked in and Gabriel was called off to perform duties for the latest book and Grace had to expand Saint George's-- much to Gabriel's annoyance. Only Gerde had remained on duty studying.

He glanced at Mosely and wondered if he should have him involved. He didn't feel right about dragging his friend into something so dangerous... especially when he could get hurt or killed-- or worse. Dealing with the Maliphrae had taxed Gabriel almost as much as being tainted by Lycanthropy. He couldn't imagine nor bear the thought of Mosely being possessed by the thing. The talisman protected his blood but he had no idea how much sanctuary it would provide his close friend.

And a friend he had been even through the embarrassing stint with the fat Detective Mostly in the Backlash book... Certainly something he needed to keep in mind and remember that he didn't receive nearly as much flack about the whole ordeal as he expected. Perhaps that was the true test of their friendship and all the strange occurrences that surrounded his life were but the passing moments of forgotten necessity-- Everyone had them. His were just more difficult to explain.

SIDNEY brought Gabriel back from his reminisce and he blinked at the screen a few times before tapping the enter key. A scanned copy of Wolfgang's journal appeared before him and he called up a search string. He had glanced through the book before just after Wolfgang had died. The majority of his research had been set around the reclamation of the talisman so he had placed it aside.

He dialed in Maliphrae and it immediately brought up an entry dating back to when Wolfgang was a young man. It was a brief passage but Gabriel was intrigued nevertheless. The Maliphrae is a creature demon of some kind that was discovered generations ago to have inhabited a Russian priest who had come to Germany to find the necessary means to wreak vengeance upon the Russian nobility for the schism created within the church. The creature was drawn out of the man and bound within a silver ring, which was stolen before the proper rite could be found to send it back to hell.

And so I have found that a cult that worships the God of the Maliphrae seek the ring's retrieval and wish to wreak vengeance upon those who would so hold their lord's most loyal servant. I have found this through the attempt on my life, which I was able to foil. Plans must be in the works for another attempt but hopefully I will stay them long enough to find the talisman. This must be another implication based on the curse...

The entry ended there. Gabriel nodded and leaned back. So they've been after us a while now and all because of that stupid ring. He had to find out how to banish the creature.... If he did so, there would be a good chance that the cult would have little reason to pursue him any further... there was also the opportunity to snare the whole group of them together or as many as was possible along with it... They would operate whether or not the Maliphrae was still on earth...

Kail walked along the street nibbling absently on a ripened apple deep in thought. Enlightenment had been difficult to come by... He had no idea exactly what he was supposed to do next. He was certain about his suspicion behind the carpenter's guild but he had little to no proof... He smiled as a thought occurred to him.

Sliding the talisman under his clothes, he wandered off toward a tavern, lifting some dirt from the ground as he walked. He smeared some of the cold filth on his face and let his hair down from its ponytail. Perhaps subterfuge would work where investigation failed...


	5. Part 5

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 5 

Heat.... Uncomfortable heat exuding from a gorgeous silver ring, its carved ivy dancing lazily about the band, each leaf brought to brilliant life by the thoughtful gaze of the sun. Flawless in all ways, lacking even the smallest scratch or subtle tarnish, it was a work of art-- one that Gabriel wish he knew how to destroy.

Frowning down at the artifact lying in the protective red handkerchief it had been stored in, frustration had become commonplace with the fool thing. Several weeks of near constant study to destroy it-- to send the creature back to the hell it came from had resulted in what he started with. Nothing.

Folding the cloth back over the ring, he stuffed it in his pocket and glanced over at Mosely. His friend was exhausted having been up for almost thirty-six hours straight he looked haggard, ready to collapse any moment. They had been at the hospital since the old man abruptly died in Mosely's office hoping to get the autopsy report. That desire seemed to be rapidly falling on the wayside.

"Hey, Mose." Gabriel clasped him on the shoulder, suddenly realizing his own fatigue. "Why don't we head out to your place? Get some rest? They'll call us as soon as they know anything."

Mosely nodded and blinked his puffy eyes a few times. "Yeah..." He managed. "Let's go."

It was midmorning when they emerged from the hospital, the sun beat down through the muggy shades of mist that immediately set upon their clothes and skin. Gabriel cursed, taking off his jacket and slinging it over his shoulder. He felt miserable-- his clothes damp with sweat and his hair was flat and stringy. Topped off with a throbbing head, he felt as though he was nursing a four-alarm hang over.

"You drive." Mosely handed him the keys and flopped in the passenger's side pulling his seat belt on lethargically. Gabriel frowned as he hopped in the aging Sedan that Mosely called his squad car.

"I can't believe you're still driving this piece of crap, Mose." He muttered starting up the car and heading off in the direction of Mosely's apartment. Traffic was exceptionally light for a change and they made fair time. Either that or the daze that collected over Gabriel's senses deadened the world around him.

He haphazardly parked in front of the complex and killed the car, nudging Mosely with his elbow. "We're here." He pushed the door open and hopped out, trudging up the stairs to the second floor, his friend a few feet behind. "I hope to God you've got this place cleaned up." Gabriel looked at him as he placed the key to the knob-- and stepped back surprised as it swayed slowly open.

Suddenly awake, Mosely drew his gun and pushed the door open with his foot, peering in cautiously. Gabriel kept his distance but tried desperately to look past his friend into the dark apartment. There was a sound within-- something rustling... moving. "What the hell is that?" Gabriel whispered harshly, squinting. His hand clasped the talisman as he edged over to lean against the door jam for a look toward the opposite wall.

"I have no idea." Mosely stated, less quietly as he took a few steps. "Jesus!" He cried unleashing a fury of bullets, the explosions echoing in the courtyard of the apartments-- followed by a strange gurgling cry far from anything human.... And then the silence....

Laughter filled the dim hall accompanied by the lilting tune of lyre. Strong draught was passed along by a sweating innkeeper his one maid serving as quickly as possible to the overwhelming number of patrons he enjoyed that evening. It was as if there was another war on. What could possibly provoke such merrymaking?

He didn't care. His purse was growing heavier by the hour. Merchants, soldiers, even that priest disguised as a peasant were tossing coins on the bar, filling their flagons time and again. A few of the more inebriated fellows were dancing to the music performed by the thin woman in the corner.

Typically, he didn't like it when musicians just took up their trade in his bar without permission-- usually when they did, people left. Troubadours were never a big attraction for his establishment. He went in for a rougher crowd and so close to the edge of town near the forest it was to be expected. But they had funds and they easily spent them...

He glanced over at the young woman and smiled. He reckoned she could make better money at a different profession. She was tall with pale skin, her long blond hair danced about her mid back-- a splendor even in the drab darkness of the common room. She wore a white blouse, which shimmered in the lantern flames. Silk perhaps, like the crimson vest clinging to her lithe body. With her lyre cradled on her knee she resembled some elfin spirit unaware of her dark surroundings... her eyes appeared distant. Lost within the melody that perhaps only she could fully comprehend.

A slap on the shoulder brought him back from his reverie and he immediately set to filling another order. 'Remarkable woman.' He thought, surprised with his fascination. 'I wonder....' He wasn't given long for the thought.

The door slammed against the wall startling the patrons to silence. A tall man entered wearing a black cloak, which obscured his face and most of the sword that dangled from his side. The murmuring began again and soon the bar had resumed its previous state. The man found a table and perched on the chair his eyes averted downward. The bard in the corner, who had never ceased playing, looked up for a moment and performed a final strum-- the song warranting a roar of applause.

She offered the briefest of smiles and stretched her arms, the silk of her blouse dripping over her tensed muscles until she came to rest, looking about with a scrutinizing gaze seemingly gauging the crowd. The voices died down and everyone stared in her direction waiting patiently.

Kail was no exception. He stared openly at her, surprised at the rate at which his heart was pounding. She was quite easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Under different circumstances, he certainly would've approached her... Fact of the matter was that he was finding it difficult to not throw caution to the wind and introduce himself anyway. Couldn't hurt.

Then he realized that there was no choice in the matter. He would talk to her. As sure as he would wake up the next morning as sure as his heart pumped blood throughout his body, he would at the very least introduce himself to her. And though her beauty certainly captivated him, it was her voice rising softly above the clatter of the room that snatched his soul away.

It was a clear ethereal tone with perfect pitch as each note danced from patron to patron, dragging emotion out of each. Tears fell with each somber stanza and the lyre brought about grief for the topic-- It sounded as though it were a Celtic myth, maybe even something out of the more recent past. A story of love between two forbidden, something that could never be.... The meanings were lost with the strange language and its rough translation was difficult for most to discern but the mood was enough....

His purpose forgotten, Kail stood from the table and relocated to stand closer to her. He pulled his hood away from his face, hoping desperately that she would look up-- that their eyes would meet. Something he certainly scolded himself for.... 'There's no time for this, Kail.' He heard some annoying practical side of his mind tell him. 'Your mission...' He blocked the rest out with a slight shake of his head. Time enough for everything....

The passion in her song began to increase along with the tempo. She raised her head to emphasize, eyes closed tightly as she immersed herself within the emotion of the words. Kail's eyes widened and his arms fell to his sides her beauty and verbal conveyance captivated him. As the final stanza of her chorus subsided, her eyes slid open and the music stopped abruptly as their eyes met.

Eternity in heaven with each moment that passed, Kail basked in the glory of her gaze and he prayed that the feeling would never end. And as he thought that he could be no luckier, she smiled at him-- not out of manners or any social grace but out of the same pull that drew her to him.... She was attracted to him.

Gracefully, she reentered the song, the pause acting as a perfect segue to her next stanza. Her eyes were fastened on Kail and the smile remained through her singing. Several people began to dance about, the melodies possessive of the spirit. Kail folded his arms almost uncomfortable under the gentle scrutiny of her lovely eyes...

"You there." A rasping voice sounded shortly behind Kail. "We need to have a word with you."

Reality was thrust back upon Kail as he glanced around, irritated at the interruption. "Can't you see I'm busy?" There were four of them, each dressed in dark, weather stained clothes. The one speaking had his hood tossed back revealing a scarred, bald head, his mouth drawn in a hateful sneer. Brown eyes squinted even in the dim torchlight, a few days facial growth clumped on his cheeks.

"It shouldn't take long." His tone was dangerous, accentuated by the hands of the other men drifting to the hilts of weapons.

Glancing between the men he shrugged. "I see your point. Where shall we conduct this... conversation?"

A wicked smile flashed across their leader's face. "Follow me." He turned and strode off toward the front door of the inn, his men waiting for Kail to follow before proceeding behind. People moved aside the group quickly-- those that were oblivious to their passage were brutally shoved aside.

Stepping outside, the biting chill of the evening air assaulted Kail's face and bundled into his cloak before turning to face the others. A sharp blow met his face, sending him reeling back against the hitching post. His feet left the ground but before he could tumble over, rough hands grabbed his shirt and hoisted him back up to look at the bald man who was now inches away.

"Who are you?" His tone was filled with venom, his foul breath spit the words at him.

"You had to hit me to ask my name?" Kail asked a bit winded with surprise. A fierce blow connected with his stomach forcing the air from his body as he began to keel, coughing painfully.

"Don't toy with us. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"My name is Victor." He managed. "I've traveled here looking for work if you know what I mean." He tried to smirk but the pain in his nose caused him to flinch instead. "Perhaps you men know of some?"

"From where do you hail?"

"I don't know that any of this is your concern." Kail glared at the man, testing the strength of those holding him. There was little hope of overpowering them both. "Perhaps you'd like to tell me why you care?"

"I ask the questions. If you choose to cooperate, you increase your chances of survival. If you choose not to..." The man shrugged. "Where do you hail from?"

"I come from a small farming village to the North." He squinted at the man. "It's no longer standing."

"And what sort of work are you looking for?" The man smiled as if he knew the answer already.

"I think you know otherwise we wouldn't be talking." Kail lowered his voice and relaxed in the grip of his captors.

"You and I are talking because we know who you are...." He pulled a knife from the folds of his cloak and gripped it tightly in his right hand. "Good evening, _Shattenjäger_." He drew back with his arm, his face twisting into a sadistic parody of joy... the blade was thrust toward him.

He closed his eyes and began to cry out when he heard a crash and grunt of surprise. Opening his eyes, he saw the musician, her blond hair dancing behind her with the wind a sword in her hand. The bald man was sprawled on the ground, his knife scattered several yards into the road. Another lay beside him with a red stain streaked across his back, blood welling up and over the clothes. She glanced at the two holding Kail both looking completely surprised, mouths agape.

"Perhaps you should let him go?" She asked, her gorgeous voice serene despite the violence she had instigated.

The one on the left complied and turned to run taking three steps away from them before hurling in the air with a horrid gurgle, the hilt of a throwing knife sticking from the back of his neck. The second pushed Kail toward her and withdrew his own shorter sword and paired off, waiting for her to recover.

She gracefully stepped aside Kail while keeping him standing and in one fluid motion battered the man's sword up and thrust home to his chest, burying the blade until it stuck out the other side. Blood spilled from his mouth and the sword fell lifelessly to the ground, his face was contorted in pain and shock as the last lights of living seeped from them as surely as the blood from his wounds. She kicked him off the weapon and he fell backwards with a final grunt.

She took Kail's arm and pulled him around the building hurrying him to a jogging run, leaving the gruesome scene behind. His questions were answered with hushes and she put her finger to her lips as they hurried along the road toward the forest followed by the sound of cries-- an alarm in the town throughout the night, echoing in the trees.


	6. Part 6

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 6 

Gabriel pushed himself up to a squatting position in the bed and blinked away the sleep in his eyes, scanning the room through a blurry daze. The clock read seven thirty and by the darkening sky outside, he realized that he had been immersed in rest for just under thirteen hours. With a heavy sigh, he threw his feet over the side of the bed and stretched his arms before pulling on his jeans and walking into the living room.

Grace's apartment was sparse but decorated accordingly to her scholarly nature. The aesthetics weren't lost to Gabriel but he paid them no attention as he found his way into the kitchen to begin brewing a pot of coffee. Running both hands through his hair, he let out another sigh and smacked his lips glancing at the phone.

He had made his way to Grace's after the incident at Mosely's apartment. He was surprised that his dreams were so serene after what he'd seen. It happened so fast... the door was opened, a moment of silence. The strange gurgling. Mosely took a step in... the explosion from the pistol. That scream.

Gabriel shuddered. When it died it had thrashed about, splattering it's own gore about the room, saturating everything within twenty feet. Mosely even received a few black drips on his pale cheeks. But despite all of that, nothing could prepare them for the body.

They both entered cautiously, eyes wide and alert. The silence was deafening after the horrid roars of the creature moments before. Surprisingly, no one came out to investigate the shots but the sirens blaring on some far away street indicated that they hadn't gone ignored.

The apartment was a wreck. Papers were strewn across the room, furniture was torn up and destroyed. Lamps were in pieces, glass and decorations shattered on the hard wood kitchen floor. Mosely got the first sight of the thing and a gasp confirmed that it was something and not someone.

Gabriel glanced around Mosely, taking a few steps to get a better look. The thing had probably stood at around six and a half feet tall though a hump in its back indicated it probably stooped. Long arms ended in serrated claws. Its skin was course and black, gleaming wetly in the dim light filtering through the shades. Several holes in the torso oozed black blood. The head lay crooked to the left shoulder, blood pouring from its gaping mouth. The eyes were widely spaced and burned amber even in death. Two small horns protruded from the skull above pointed ears.

But perhaps the most repulsive part was the smell. Stagnant, almost visible from the wounds and body, like rotting meat festered under a noon day sun. Gabriel echoed Mosely's look as they found their way to the door for a breath of air, both trembling from the shock but too tired to become ill.

When the police arrived, Mosely covered up the issue and had two of his subordinates take statements from them both to file. They were far from the truth and when the coroner came, he took away the body but Mosely sent a man along with to be certain that no one touched the body until he and Gabriel were present.

And that would be soon.

He groaned and poured the finished coffee into a white mug, reluctant to call Mosely for the trip to the coroner's office. Well, the life of a Shattenjäger... A job never finished a task never complete. His mind drifted back to the old man who had died and the ring.... Everything was swirling about and each fact was too elusive to maintain for long enough to discern what it meant. His other cases at least _seemed_ normal.

Soft skin-- cold. Definitely a finger... a hand brushing against his forehead, running along his temple to cup his cheek. The clear voice piercing his sub conscious, rousing him from slumber. "Wake up..." He heard again, his eyes fluttering against the assault of sleep to gaze up into the most gorgeous green eyes he'd ever seen in his life. For a long moment, he was lost in them as though he was still dreaming but as she smiled and drew away he began to realize where he was.

He was lying beneath a huge oak tree, limbs dancing above him in a gentle breeze. He pushed himself up on his elbows and stared at the woman crouched before the fire. He didn't remember setting camp. He didn't remember lying down to rest. Fact of the matter, he barely remembered the night before at all. Just entering the inn, the four men, the fight. Fleeing. All a haze. Some distant memory fleeting as if with age...

He took his feet and joined her by the fire, wrapping his cloak about his shoulders. He wondered if he wasn't sick as her own cloak was hung on a nearby tree, her body only protected by the thin silk of her shirt and vest as she tended something cooking over the fire. "I don't think that I thanked you last night." He said, his voice low, still sleepy.

"You did." She smiled at him and set the spit down to lean back on her palms. "You slept well."

He shrugged. "I suppose so. Can't say that I remember falling asleep however." He regarded her curiously.

"Aren't you going to ask who I am?" Her voice took a playful tone.

"I thought about it." He chuckled looking into the fire. "My name is Kail."

"And my name is Alia."

"Gorgeous name." His eyes drifted from the flames to rest upon her, trying again desperately to catch her gaze in his own. "From where do you hail?"

She frowned. "Far away." Her voice was distant, almost sad. "Too far to recount."

"Allow me to thank you again for helping me back there...." He thought for a moment. "What happened last night? What happened when we got here? I don't remember a thing about setting up camp."

She pursed her lips and shrugged. You leaned against the tree for a rest and before I knew it you were sound asleep." She leaned forward and rotated the spit and looked at him. "I helped you to lie down and bundled you up."

Something was wrong and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what. She seemed genuine. Her sincerity was blatant. Still, there was something within him that cried out 'caution'. It was an unwelcome feeling to be sure, especially as he liked this woman a great deal.

"Unfortunately, I need to go." He stood up stiffly and stretched. "I have much to do."

"I hope that it doesn't involve going back into town." She glanced up at him lazily. "They're up in arms right now and with the four dead men, they'll be especially cautious. At least until they realize that the brigands deserved what happened to them."

He sighed and sat back down, looking up at the slowly dawning sky. "Perhaps I should head back." He muttered to himself but she tilted her head to look at him curiously.

"Back to where?"

"My home in Rittersburgh." He motioned off. "Quite a days march that way."

"What brings you so far from your home if I may ask?"

"I'm--" He paused a moment, wondering if he could trust her with what he was up to. After all, his instincts were trying to tell him something. But perhaps she had information that he could use.... "I'm investigating something... a murder."

"Oh?" She arched a brow. "Someone you know I take it?"

"Perceptive." He nodded still wondering about her trust. "He was my uncle."

"I see." She frowned and looked down. "So it's vengeance you seek."

"I seek to find the murderers and have them brought to justice for their crimes."

"Ah." She gracefully took her feet and looked down at him. "Perhaps the justice you seek has already been issued." She turned and started off through the woods at a rapid pace.

"Christ Knight! What the hell was that thing?" Mosely's face was wrinkled almost humorously as they both emerged from the operating room where the autopsy on the creature was performed. It took a good two and a half hours and under the surveillance of three of Mosely's most trusted detectives, it had been performed by a mutual friend named Lawrence Markus.

Markus had always been a conservative type but they had always been able to count on his trust and reliability. They were hardly in touch anymore but on occasion they did find a moment to recount past glories (though Gabriel had most of the claim to any glory since he chose a more 'social life' than the others.) When they called him, he agreed happily to help old friends. When he saw what he would be operating on, he almost turned and walked away. His face was grave most of the time that he worked and when he finally finished he informed them that it would be a while before results were back from the labs... A fact that Gabriel was almost grateful for.

He didn't really want to know what the creature was, the longer he was forced to look upon it. Just being in the same vicinity with it made him uneasy and ill.... The scent of its blood certainly didn't help that at all and the visage was disturbing. Like something out of a Geiger piece of art with its twisting innards coiling about like bio-machinery-- brought frighteningly to life in person. He shrugged to Mosely's question.

"I have no idea, man." His voice was unusually drawn. "I just hope that we get what we need from this.... Though I don't know what we need."

"You can say that again." Mosely shook his head and took a seat on a hard plastic chair. "What the hell was it looking for in my apartment?"

"I'm sure it was looking for the ring, Mose." Gabriel ran a hand through his hair and joined his friend in sitting. "We have to find out how to destroy this thing."

"What if we banish it? What then? Won't they just bring it back?"

"That's a point and until recently, I had hoped to use it as bait to lure them into a trap that we might get em all.... But now I'm afraid that my plan may not work. Not if they can summon help like that-- thing in there."

"Yeah..." They sat in silence for a time before Mosely looked up. "So what should we do?"

"I think that our best bet will be to keep the ring and guard it." He sighed. "But the problem here is that they seem to have stepped up their agenda. They need the Maliphrae and they need it now. I wonder why...." Gabriel pondered for a long while. "We need to get one of them... to question him til we find out what we need to know."

"How do you propose we do that? Put an ad in the paper?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Your typical sarcasm lacks even the shallowest wit today, Mose." Before his friend could reply, he continued. "My thought is that they really want me.... Let's give them me."

"What the hell are you talking about? They don't want you _alive_, Knight." Mosely shook his head.

"But if that were true, then why did they tie me and the old man up in that hotel room? Why not just kill me right then?"

"Good point. Perhaps they needed to question you."

"To find out where the ring is. So we need to hide this thing and then I need to find one of them."

"This sounds ridiculous." Mosely shook his head. "It's just dangerous and I don't like the sound of it. Ridiculous."

"Not nearly as ridiculous as what I just found." Markus' voice forced them both to look up, his expression chilling their blood as they started to rise to hear what he had to say...


	7. Part 7

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre.   
Part 7 

"Wait!" Kail cried, dashing after Alia as quickly as his stiff legs would allow him. He plunged into the trees after her though lacking her grace several branches slapped his face and arms, leaves splattering dew across his skin. Something of desperation and fear welled within him-- Desperate to catch up to her, afraid he'd never see her again.

She paused a brief moment and looked at him through sorrow filled eyes and a tear etched its way down her nearly white skin. "Kail..." Her voice broke and she cleared her throat before continuing. "I don't want to see you hurt. You must return to your home. You must."

"But why!" He took a few more steps toward her, closing their distance to within twenty feet. " Alia, what do you know that you aren't telling me?"

"There's nothing." She sighed. "Just listen to me when I ask you to leave here and don't turn back."

"I'll need some better incentive than your word."

"That's unfortunate."

"Just tell me why! Tell me what's going on here Alia! I can put a stop to it!"

"You don't know anything!" Her calm voice erupted into anger and her eyes flared forcing him to take several steps back. "If you did you would realize that there are things much larger than yourself! Much more powerful. You're pathetic gifts aren't _anything_ in comparison to that which you blindly stalk."

"Let me be the judge of that." He spoke softly, hoping to calm her. "My family has overcome odds in the past. This is no different."

"Arrogance does not suit a savior." She was approaching him slowly and he smiled.

"Don't confuse arrogance with confidence." They stood within reach of each other eyes locked in silence.

"I don't want you to be hurt." She whispered, closing the last few feet. Their faces were inches from each other and Kail looked at her lips then back to her eyes.

"I had a different concern in mind." He leaned forward locking her in a passionate kiss their arms folding around each other. Time lost meaning, proportion... He felt a strange sensation build within his chest-- his heart pounding madly with the sensational joy of satisfaction. He knew at that moment, he was in love.

As they finally pulled slowly away their gleaming eyes locked again a smile playing on both sets of lips. "This doesn't change my opinion." Her tone was playful now, accentuated with the smile. "I still want you to go home."

"But if I go home, whoever killed my uncle won't be brought to justice."

"Kail, the people who killed your uncle were _enacting_ justice. Your uncle was not like you. He was a part of the old ways...."

"Are you saying my uncle was killed because--"

"Because he murdered innocent people with his accusations." She said plainly, touching his cheek to soften the blow. "I'm sorry Kail. I didn't want for you to have to hear that but it's true. He was killed for murdering... and while he may have thought he was doing right..." She stopped as Kail looked down. He pulled away and paced to a tree to lean against it.

"I told him, Alia. I expressed to him that we couldn't act the same any longer-- That we couldn't continue to throw out accusations without proof. That we needed more education and less superstition." He took a deep breath.

"That's why you'll make a superb man. Perhaps you won't follow in his footsteps."

Kail shook his head, laughing humorlessly. "Unfortunately..."

"Kail, if you continue along the lines of your ancestors, you will be killed too. Eventually, it will happen. All of your line that chooses to continue that legacy will be killed. It's inevitable."

"We're a bit more resilient than you give us credit for." He glanced back at her. "Alia, who are these people who killed him? What right do they have to--"

"The same right you have, dear." She spoke softly-- almost not an interruption at all. "Kail..." She put her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. "Perhaps it's not time to discuss this matter..." She pressed her lips against his again hand caressed his cheek her eyes tightly closed. The sun broke the clouds showering down with its warm rays-- Kail took her in his arms and they set out for the solitude of their camp, practically stumbling along with the rising passion that was quickly overwhelming them....

"What in God's name _is_ this, Frank?" Markus was standing at the head of the operating table, motioning to the lump in front of him obscured by a white sheet. His normally calm face was drawn with curiosity and revulsion-- his face drawn in a sneer.

"That's what we came here for, Markus. So you could help us determine the answer to that very question."

Markus ran a hand through his curly hair and blinked several times, as though he were trying to fend off some horrible vision he was forced to view. "Well, I'm afraid that the tests are strange. I mean, it's not like anything I've ever seen. Ever. There's nothing about it that's usual or easy to explain."

"Can you be a little more specific?" Gabriel asked, already tensing up with the unease of his usually composed old friend.

"Hardly." He glanced at the body. "The only thing that is organic in that thing is what was in its stomach. It had... eaten someone recently." He sighed. "Otherwise, what would normally count as blood comes out as a combination of oil, earth and something that our labs weren't able to classify. The 'eyes' if you can call them that are glass with an amber rock beneath-- I don't know how to account for the glowing. There was nothing in the cranium. There are no internal organs save what I suppose I would consider a heart. That's what you put your shots in, Mosely and that's probably what stopped it.

"It has some pretty nasty teeth... however, they aren't made of bone. They have alloy in them with rock. The claws and skeleton are of the same design." He sighed and thought a moment. "The thing has no muscles per se, instead it has what could only be classified as gears, though nothing we've ever seen before."

"Are you saying that this thing is a machine?" Mosely looked at him in disbelief.

"Not really... I mean, it has more in common with rocks than machines..."

"How the hell did it make those sounds then?"

"It's throat is comprised of a... 'device' that is vaguely equivalent to our own vocal chords." He glanced it over again. "It has no reproductive organs either... which lends to a theory of it either being grown or produced."

"Was he a relative of yours, Mose?" Gabriel glanced at Mosely with a smile, finally being able to take the situation a little lighter.

"That's not funny Gabe." Markus glared at him. "If this thing doesn't reproduce, then someone is making things like this.... Who knows what that means?"

"What would be entailed in making a creature like this?" Mosely asked.

"I have absolutely no idea." Markus shrugged. "I didn't believe that humanity had the technology to create something this complex..."

"I know." Gabriel said solemnly, glancing at Mosely. "We need to go."

"Where to? We have no idea where to start--"

"Germany, Mosely." Gabriel pursed his lips. "We start where it began."

Kail was ill at ease. Wide eyes stared into the clear sky, counting the stars absently. His thoughts drifted from his father to his uncle to the 'crimes' he may have been punished for. Regardless of his arguing, his demand for change, he had always respected Reinhold. Now he was hunted just as surly as his uncle was... and not because of someone else's definition of crimes committed or personal views but because of his name.

He just didn't really see the reality of some kind of secret society that hunted those who hunted evil. Perhaps it was family arrogance but why would they be so stupid? And what was there to really stop him from extracting vengeance for what they did to Reinhold...

Kail had never been impulsive. He considered himself something more of a scholar than most of his relatives. Now, circumstance pushed him and he fell right into the trap, taking up the sword for vengeance then compounding his recklessness with Alia.

Alia... She was resting quietly head on his chest, arms curled about him in slumber. Her body heat felt wonderful against his own bare skin-- the soft texture was almost intoxicating the more he thought about it. Her touch was like nothing he'd ever experienced. He wasn't one to carouse and his experience with the fair had always been more formal than emotional. With Alia, it was different in so many ways.

She was another enigma to deal with. While he couldn't deny the growing affection for her, there was something about her that he couldn't place his finger on... a lack of trust perhaps? More than likely his suspicious nature just trying to make sure everything was okay but still... something about her concerned him. What would be her motivation to lie?

As if in response to his thoughts, she stirred slightly looking up at him with her exotic eyes lips parted in a sleepy smile. He returned the smile and reaffirmed his hug, closing his eyes. To question her so was to question his very heart....


	8. Part 8

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 8 

Clatter and noise died down considerably as the door to the pub swong open, two figures falling in behind it. They were both tall men, one dressed in a black trench coat the other in a casually cut brown leather jacket. One donned long, well tended hair with a roguish demeanor, the other was a bit on the large side, his hair sparse on his scalp.

"I gotta take a leak." The larger man mentioned, wandering off toward the restroom while his companion found himself a seat near the bar at a clean table.

Gabriel scanned the bar looking at the patrons with a sigh. He'd been researching through the Shattenjäger stacks all day and was more than ready for some relaxation. A strong brew really sounded appealing and he had to admit, feeling giddy for a while would be nice. He frowned at the level of seriousness that his life had attained. He didn't feel like the same old Gabe.

He rolled his eyes, leaning back. Just recently. Just getting adjusted to the whole Shattenjäger business in general. How could one honestly _expect_ to get used to it? How could one go from being carefree and hedonistic to responsible and thoughtful? He thought he had... Perhaps that's why he was so troubled. The voodoo murders seemed to go by without too much trouble and he wasn't too uptight... He placed an order for some thick stew and a couple of draughts of ale then waited for Mosely to return.

It was just that he had been through so much... it would've changed any man. Easily and quickly. But as with all change, one had two choices: go with the flow or be rolled over... He knew that he was choosing the latter. He had been depressed, uneasy... it was a struggle to find anything to think about besides the next case. Course he was very new to the whole realm of fighting evil...

He chuckled wryly and looked around the room again, his eyes settling on a gorgeous woman sitting across the room from him, staring down at a lap top computer. Long blond hair-- almost white-- danced about her mid back, hanging about an unusually pale face, made especially white by the dark suit clinging to her thin frame.

Gabriel's eyes fell to her legs-- long and shapely beneath the table he pursed his lips and nodded with appreciation. He had to admit that it had been some time since he had last thought seriously about his libido... especially considering the last time it had been satiated. The clamber of Mosely joining him and the waitress setting down their drinks forced him to turn away.

"Nice bathroom." Mosely took the flagon of ale and took a swig, grimacing appreciatively. "Now I see why ya spend so much time here."

Gabriel chuckled and took a swig himself, his heart lightening as he regarded his friend. "You know Mose? This is probably the first time I've relaxed in a hell of a long time."

"Yeah?" Mosely nodded thoughtfully, sipping the beer. "Try comin to work with us... you'll get all the relaxin ya need."

Gabriel snorted. "No doubt." He motioned to his friend's stomach. "How's the county hog comin along anyway? Almost fat enough for the Louisiana State Fair?"

"Piss off, Knight!" He glared at him. "And I'm not fat... This is stress enforcement."

"Enforcing what? Those polyester slacks? What size were those when you bought them anyway?"

"Knight--" Mosely was interrupted by a knock on their table, drawing both men's eyes to a dark figure standing before them. He was surrounded by three other men whose eyes were averted from the table as they glanced about the room curiously.

"Can we help you?" Gabriel asked, his tone even-- a smile playing on his lips.

"We'd like to have word with you." The man's raspy voice was barely audible above the noise.

"I see." Gabriel looked between the men and shrugged. "Want to take a seat?"

"I think we need to talk outside." He motioned toward the door.

Gabriel looked at Mosely and then back up to the guy and shook his head. "Well, sorry. I'm busy right now. Maybe you can call my secretary and set up an appointment... Sometime in the never time frame?"

With an eerie swiftness, the man flipped the table away, grabbing Gabriel by the lapels and hoisting him from his chair. "I don't think you heard me right. I said--"

The sound of a cocking gun resounded over the now silent crowd, Gabriel saw an automatic pistol aimed at the side of the man's head held by the young woman he'd been admiring earlier. "I think he heard you just fine." Her clear voice was hardened by the danger in her tone. "Let him go."

The man hesitated but shoved Gabriel back, glaring angrily at him. "This is not over."

"Don't be so sure." She kept the gun trained on his head as he and his companions turned to leave. "Don't bother coming back."

Gabriel watched them go like a whipped pack of dogs dragging their tails between their legs. He looked at the woman as she slid her gun back into a holster on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" She asked, her jade eyes scanning him over critically a moment.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He managed looking over at Mosely before clearing his throat and continuing. "Who are you?" He extended his hand. "My name is Gabriel and this is Frank."

"There's really no time for formalities." She looked at Mosely then hurried over to her table, collecting her computer and joining them again. "We have to go." She took Gabriel's arm and started toward the door.

"Wait a minute!" Gabriel stopped and furrowed his brow. "What's going on?"

"You're in a lot of danger now we have to go!" She looked at them pleadingly. "Please?"

Mosely shrugged as Gabriel's eyes fell upon him. "Up to you. Don't see any harm..."

Gabriel sighed and nodded. "Alright, let's go." He allowed himself to be led from the pub into the street. They went around to the small parking lot and she threw open the passenger door to a maroon Porsche, motioning for them to get in.

Gabriel looked at Mosely sympathetically. "Sorry Mose." He pushed the seat forward and waited for the complaining detective to cram his body into the confined space before hopping in himself. The car was already started and she pulled it onto the street, speeding away from the pub...

Kail's eyes bolted open as Alia was forcedly yanked from next to him. Before he could stand, he felt a cold sharp blade touching his neck and he tensed, looking with his eyes for the threat. They were armored, glistening chain clung to their shoulders and black leather boots rode their thighs. He pursed his lips and looked about for Alia. She wasn't making any noise but for a grunt from struggling.

The feeling of helplessness infuriated him to the point of quivering. "Who are you?" He asked through clenched teeth, his face drawn in fury.

"Shut up you!" The man said, his German was horrible with a distinct English accent.

"What are you doing to her?" He ignored the command and tallied his options. None at the moment.

"I said shut up!" He was nudged by a boot and bit his lip anger filling him with a fury he was unaccustomed to.

Moments passed. Kail stared into the darkened sky the stars shining brightly. How on Earth had he slept so bloody long? Through the entire day? It was bizarre. He had little time to dwell on the fact.

The man holding him captive nodded and smiled. "I'll take care of em." He looked back down at Kail. "Seems that you aren't needed friend."

Kail glared up at him defiantly, unable to believe that his life would end as such: On his back in the middle of the night... the victim of a sneak attack. It didn't seem right somehow. He had always thought that if he died, it would certainly be tragic but in a more noble way than helpless unable to act other than to watch death descend.

"Just get it over with." He spat, trying his best to sound threatening and failing somewhat. Perhaps it was the circumstance.

"Don't worry, I will." The sword was lifted from his neck above the man's head. He was going for a decapitation. Kail lashed out and grabbed his foot, yanking it up and pushing him back. The man flailed as he stumbled into the brush, falling flat on his back.

Kail was up in an instant, withdrawing his own sword from its sheath and holding it in at en garde position before him. "Seems the tables have turned." He announced as his opponent found his feet. "Don't pick up the sword and I won't kill you."

"We'll see who does the killing!" The man blubbered, rushing toward him with his sword raised above his right shoulder. Kail gave him a few more strides before side stepping the attack and parrying the sword from his adversary's hand. The man stared at him in disbelief and thought to turn and run but Kail was on him, the hilt of his blade crashing down on his skull. The body clumped to the ground unconscious and Kail looked around for other enemies before sliding his sword away and getting dressed.

"Wake up." Kail splashed chill spring water in the bound man's face-- which reddened as he sputtered to consciousness. "Very good. Are you feeling well?"

"Go ta hell." He spat offering Kail the same defiant look he was granted earlier.

"I think you'll be in the way." Kail placed the tip of his sword in the ground and pushed himself up. "I'm not going to be very kind to you. Fact is I'm going to beat you for every answer you give me that I don't appreciate. Shall we begin with who you are or where they are taking Alia? You choose. Both will be made clear sooner or later and I think that for a continued happy existence, you should make it sooner."

"Go to hell." The man offered the words slowly each syllable deliberate. Kail sighed and nodded.

"I see how this is going to be." Without looking down, he kicked the man in the chest and crouched beside him, regarding his tense face. "That was by far the best thing that could happen. You can still live a long life with that. You are unmarred in anyway. Next I start to remove parts." He motioned to the fire, the man's sword was propped on a rock the blade sticking half way in the flames. "And I'm quite proficient in the art of chiurgy. We may be here for some time."

"I don't know anything!" His voice was now quivering and his body was trembling. Sweat broke on his brow mixing with the cold water from earlier. He looked up at Kail with pleading eyes. "Please! You must believe me!"

"I'm sorry that I don't." Kail scanned his body and shrugged. "I suppose that you could still work without your right hand... Not as much of an existence as you could have right now but certainly not as bad as it will get." Kail moved around behind him pulling out a long dagger. "I'm afraid that this will probably be extremely painful."

"Wait!" The man screamed. "Wait! I'll talk! I'll talk!!"

Kail slid the dagger back in his sheath. "Alright." He nodded, moving around in front of him. "So talk. Where is Alia being taken?"

"They're taking her to meet Baron von Avery."

Kail blinked with a sigh. "Are you lying to me?" He prayed that he was.

"Nay! I'm not lying! On my life I'm not!"

"I see." Kail shook his head and looked around, suddenly nervous. "Where are they to meet him?"

"We have a camp set up not but 5 miles that way." The man motioned with his head off to the east and Kail rose to his feet.

"If you are lying to me, there is no way that you will be able to free yourself before I return. If I find nothing, I shall not listen to your cries to tell me the truth. I'll just begin making you a beggar for the rest of your life. Do you understand?"

The man nodded pathetically.

"And you still wish to stick to your story?"

"On my word they are there! You'll see!"

"Let's hope for your sake I do." Kail turned and left the clearing, pressing through the dark forest, his cloak billowing behind. The wind had picked up and the clouds were covering the previously serene sky. A distant thunder clapped and lighting exploded on the horizon....

"Great night for a drive huh?" Gabriel looked over at the tight-lipped woman who drove well over to fast in the pouring rain. Lightning was dancing on the horizon and Gabriel was having a difficult time seeing past the unceasing rain that was exploding on the windshield. "Could we maybe slow down a bit?"

"No. There's no time." She glanced at him. "Trust me."

"I think we've done enough of that so far. I think it's time for some answers."

"Answers you'll receive-- when we get to where we're going."

"Can you please tell me where that is?"

"You'll see."

"I'm not playing games here, lady--"

"Neither am I!" She raised her voice, glaring at him dangerously. "Now shut up and be patient!"

Gabriel stared at her incredulously for a long moment unsure how to proceed. "Perhaps you'd like to share what's stressing you so bad?"

"I would not! Now please wait until we arrive!"

Gabriel looked back at Mosely who shrugged and frowned, still irritated with his seating arrangements. They had been driving for over a half hour and were well outside of Munich-- heading in the direction of Rittersburgh actually. Gabriel wondered if she wasn't just taking them home.

He looked out the window and cried out. "My God! Stop the car quick!" He was pointing tapping the window, his eyes following something until he was craned around in the seat. "Stop the car now!" She slammed on the brakes and the car slid into a fishtail, sliding off the road at over forty miles an hour hopping a curb and sideswiping a tree. Metal crunched, glass shattered. A scream. The cold wet rain... a severe pain. Darkness.


	9. Part 6

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 9 

"What a proud face you have..." Baron von Avery's voice was condescending, the dark eyes squinting in the wind. He wore a dark goatee and long hair drawn back by a black ribbon. His lips were curled in a mirthless smile the wrinkles about his eyes betraying his age. "And pretty too."

"What do you want?" She asked in a low tone her eyes meeting his with unwavering determination and pride.

The baron chuckled. "In good time my dear, in good time." He began to pace, drawing out his broad sword deliberately slow. The wind had begun to slide through the nearby trees angrily as clouds rolled in to obscure the sky. He scanned her with his peripheral vision and stopped. "What amazes me is how much the human body is capable of. When a lover offers his gentle caress his woman shudders with pleasure. When a man strikes his foe in the head the body crumples.

"But most amazing is how many things it does before any of these occur..." Suddenly, he sliced the sword through the air straight at Alia's neck, stopping an inch from decapitating her. He rolled the hilt in his hand and patted her cheek with the cold steel. A clap of thunder resounded in the distance. "You see?" He asked chuckling again. "When death is thrust upon your body, your eyes widened, your mouth dropped. You clenched your fists digging your fingernails into your hands praying at the last second for a miracle. A miracle that I provided." He stopped and approached her slowly, looking deep into her eyes. "In that sense you owe me."

Her eyes narrowed and she glared at him, her breath coming quickly. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Unfortunately, it's not a social call." He frowned, his eyes drawn in feigned depression. "I represent a group of concerned men about the practices of 'creatures' in this region. Practices of burning innocents. 'Investigations' into spiritual criminals. You are one of the reasons that our people are being persecuted. They are after your kind and yet _our_ kind suffer."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice was calm and she relaxed her muscles until she appeared casual in her stance.

"Enough talk. Since the hunters are too foolish to collect their prey, I'm afraid that the task falls to us." He paced away from her and looked up as the rain began to plummet down upon them-- the storm at hand.

Alia slammed her heel down upon one of her captor's foot, forcing him to immediately let go of her right arm. Before he could react, the second man was flipped onto his back, a severe boot hit to the head immediately following.

The man who was crouched from his foot began to rise and she yanked his sword from its scabbard and chopped his torso. She brought the blade around to cleave his head before he hit the ground, spinning to stare at the Baron, blade extended toward him.

"Well," The Baron nodded with reluctant approval. "I must say that I'm... surprised? I suppose impressed would be a strong word." Several of his men were standing behind him with their weapons drawn-- she counted at least six. "Drop the sword. You're outmatched seven to one."

"No." She stated calmly. "What's your body doing right now, Baron? What myriad of functions is it performing in preparation for _your_ death?"

Before he could respond, one of his men cried out in surprise, falling forward to the ground clutching the end of a crossbow bolt sticking only inches out of his head. "Good evening, Baron!" A voice echoed from nowhere, the storm obscuring its location. "Don't bother to run!"

"Show yourself!" Avery's voice strained with his anger, his face flushed red. Alia smiled to herself, taking a few steps back from the crowd.

"Alia, come on." The voice cried. "Back into the woods."

"You won't escape." The Baron's voice was dangerous... quiet. His eyes were narrow slits in his anger tightened face. "We'll find you. We'll find you both."

Whining.... Deadened noise off in some unreal distance. The back of his mind. Blaring, as if through haze and smoke-- dazed whizzing. Black to white to black to white... A myriad of color. Shining. Squinting away the assault on tender senses. Ears clear as though emerging from water. A cough. The pain explodes across the skull a throbbing in time with the beating of his tired heart. Consciousness....

Gabriel sat up slowly peering at his surroundings dully. The blaring turned out to be the constant drumming of rain on the roof of the ambulance he was stationed in thrown together with the conversations of several paramedics and police.

He saw Mosely standing next to a detective offering a statement he assumed. The driver of the vehicle was nowhere to be seen... perhaps her injuries were too severe for her to remain on site. Confusion began to settle on him like a chill, his mind racing to collect the events just before and after the crash. He remembered crying out to stop the car... but why? What the hell was he thinking? She slid into a fish tail... the car hopped the curb. He felt the impact and all the air rushed from his lungs. His sight began to dim and he heard her scream. He tried to move but his arms wouldn't respond. The first thought and probably the final thought in his mind was that he had been paralyzed.

Then he woke up in the ambulance.

Mosely walked over and sat beside him. He clapped his hand on his back in an uncharacteristically affectionate manner and leaned close to him. "The girl wasn't found at the scene, Gabe." Mosely's voice was quiet and he had a hard time picking any of it up. "I didn't know what to say really. Everything sounds suspicious. I basically gave them the truth. That this lady approached us in the bar, waved a gun at some guys trying to start trouble then insisted that we go with her. "

Gabriel nodded and looked around. "What do they think happened here?"

"They aren't sure. The car's registered to a lady that they're checking on right now. I'm sure they think the car's stolen since the driver's nowhere to be found. It is pretty slippery out here but I'll bet that they aren't ruling out alcohol." Mosely looked out into the woods. "Though there's a better than average chance that she got hurled from the vehicle out there and maybe wandered off in a daze. They have people combing the forest looking."

"How was the car?" Gabriel stretched his legs and rubbed his temples. He was tired and more than ready for a little rest.

"Trashed." Mosely frowned and rubbed his chin. "Could've been worse I suppose."

Gabriel tapped the talisman and tried to remember.... 'What did you see, Gabe?'

As if in answer to his thoughts, Mosely nodded toward him. "So what the hell had you so riled you tried to get us killed?"

Gabriel looked up at Mosely and shook his head with a shrug. "I'm really not sure, man. I've been trying desperately to remember these last few minutes.... Nothing."

"Well, we're lucky to be alive, bud." Mosely scratched his balding head. "Must've been something big. I've not heard you that hysterical in a long time...." Mosely thought. "Yeah, since that time back in school when Lisa--"

"Yeah, yeah shut up." Gabriel shook his head. "That's the _last_ thing I need to be reminded of right now."

Mosely chuckled and leaned against the ambulance watching as a few men emerged from the forest. The night was still retched, the rain was dumping down on them though with less fury than earlier. He looked at Gabriel and took a deep breath. He had seen some fantastic things in his old friend's presence. Things he would've discounted in a second without bearing witness to. Yet he found himself inexorably drawn to it... to him. It was as though he had never known himself fully and was suddenly made painfully aware of the lack in his soul. Filling it was becoming a priority.

The paramedics returned to offer a final glance over Gabriel and Mosely before nodding to their superior who exchanged a few words in German with them. He turned to Gabriel. "They have cleared you both to go home."

"Good." Gabriel pushed himself up and looked around. "Can we hitch a ride with one of your men back to Rittersburgh?"

"Yeah," Said the constable, running his hand over his slick uniform. "Jorge will take you." He motioned to a maroon car parked just at the edge of the scene and began escorting them away from the ambulance. "And don't worry, we'll contact you when she's in custody so that you can come down for a positive ID."

"Great." Gabriel nodded leaning back in his seat and thanking God that the day was almost over.


	10. Part 10

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre.   
Part 10 

"Hold here a moment." Kail whispered harshly, leaning against a tree. His breath came in gasps, rasping against his dry throat. The storm had lessened, the lightning had moved off but the rain was still present and beat upon them relentlessly.

"Are you alright?" Alia looked concerned though Kail couldn't help but notice that she was radiant in the darkness. Her rain soaked blouse was clinging to her fit body, long hair stuck to pale skin, bright eyes shining against the black of the storm. Strange evening....

"Sure..." He nodded, tilting his head as he regarded her. Despite her ragged appearance, she was no worse the wear. There was no sign of fatigue in her eyes and indeed her body was tensed for action. "What about you?" He asked timidly.

"I'm fine." She smiled, stepping over to cup his face in her hand. "But you look exhausted. Perhaps we can rest a few moments?"

He shook his head. "No..." He glanced over his shoulder, grimacing as he peered through the trees. "I don't think it would be wise to do so... We have no idea how far behind us they might be."

"True..." She frowned gripping the hilt of her sword. "But we're in a much better position... we could fight?" More an offer than a statement and he felt compelled to kiss her at that moment—to subdue the growing affection with physical contact. He shook it off.

"Hmm..." He bit his lip and looked around the trees. "I'm wondering if it wouldn't be wise... We're in more danger now than ever before. If we do escape and get back to Munich, the Baron is more than capable of simply having us hunted down. It may be that we need to end whatever his plans are tonight. Here."

"My thoughts exactly." There was an edge to her voice, almost frightening in its determination. He looked at her and smiled.

"This won't be easy."

"That's why I'm excited." She thrust the point of her sword in the ground and leaned against a tree, stretching her arms.

"Alright then..." He drew his own blade and straightened, pursing his lips before turning in the direction that they had come. "Take a position my dear... But remember that we want the Baron alive... at least until we can determine what's going on..."

She chuckled wryly but nodded, sliding gracefully aside the trail behind some trees, staring intently upon the path, eyes wide for better visibility in the near black of night. He whispered a quick prayer and took the opposite side, wondering just how many they were up against and wondering if even the talisman could protect him from what was to come... With a certain nod, he clasped faith over his heart and crouched in the bushes.

Darkness lay over the room like thick wool and Gabriel basked in the comfort of his bed. Thoughts drifted about back to his studio in the bookstore... how the hell did he sleep in that bed for so long? A smile perked at the edges of his lips as sighed in memory. Gone now were the days of squalor—monetary stress had disappeared along with his constant longing to succeed...

Success was something that Gabriel Knight always longed for thought far beyond his reach. A dream nothing more—a way to pass the time and lie to himself that one day all the bills will be gone and life will have a meaning. How quickly it really did change.

Change. More of that crap. He was going to make himself puke thinking about how much it offended him that everything he was had turned itself around and become something entirely different. From nothing to the world's responsibility dropped on his shoulders. The purpose he always sought. Perhaps the curse had something to do with his constant feeling that there was something else... For now he felt _right_ if not happy.

Happiness _should_ have been his. He was an international celebrity. The Voodoo murders had phenomenal success as did the sequel. He was invited to exclusive parties, a benefit of his birth right and rank now that the Ritter name had been restored and the estates set in order. His holdings were growing. Gabriel Knight was now a man of high esteem.

He sighed and rolled over, thrusting an arm under his pillow with his eyes tightly shut. There was a solace in his old life... There was something to be said about not having an appointment book. Not having a set schedule of people and places that you were bound to visit and meet. Events shaped around him and he felt naked and unprepared. 'This is what you always wanted.' He told himself but the terse reply made him frown. 'But why was I left unscathed while my world crumbled into this shining beacon of success?'

Sure, he felt more responsible. He kept his appointments, he made deadlines, the payroll was signed on time. A level of maturity that he really wasn't interested in had settled over him. Right next to that change... He flipped over on his back and put his hands behind his head, eyes probing the blackness. Success, fame, financial well being. Sure... It's all great. But then there was the hunting....

....and his current case, if it could be so called. The ring still unable to be destroyed and this strange old man trying to warn him of some impending danger and eventually dying practically in his arms. The strange young woman.... Another case running away without him. More answers than questions and little time remaining—or so it seemed. And what about the car wreck? What was that all about?

Questions churned in his mind, robbing him of another thirty minutes of sleep—seeping into an hour. Then a strange thought almost incomprehensible. A green hill grass blowing in a gentle breeze. What about the rabbit? He heard his mind ask and then he sighed. What the hell am I thinking...? The question danced with a light reverb on his lips.....

A sharp rapping forced his eyes wide and he bolted up in his bed. Someone knocking at the door, he ran his hands through his hair, trying to ignore it a moment. Insistance. "Damnit," He muttered pulling himself free of the blankets and throwing on his robe. "Who's there?" He called out, striding over to the door clumsily, the darkness hampering his movements. He fumbled for the light switch and cursed as the bright bulb filled the room, forcing his eyes to squint.

He opened the door and his eyes widened, just a moment as a hand rapidly clasped his throat and pushed him back in. A strangled cry barely louder than a gasp escaped his constricted throat as the door slid quietly shut.... A terse shove as his body stumbled back, tripping on the carpet and falling back on the bed. A moment passed and thoughts crossed his mind but before he could react, a heavy foot planted itself on his chest, securing him to the mattress. "Good evening Mr. Knight." The voice was familiar but he couldn't place it.... "Am I interrupting something?"

"Just a decent night's rest." He muttered. "Who are you?"

"From the car? Did you get injured in the crash?"

Realization dawned on his face. "What was that all about? You almost got us killed!"

"Me?" She quirked a brow. "You're the one who screamed to stop the car. What was that all about? What did you see?"

"I don't know!" He tapped her foot. "Can you get off my chest now please?"

She stepped back and he pulled himself up on the bed. "What's going on? Can you enlighten me now?"

"My name is Alia." She ran a hand through her hair and paced away. "Kail and I came here to find... to find you—rather I should say that we came looking for the Shattenjäger."

"When was this? Who the hell is Kail?"

"Kail is your ancestor. He was the Shattenjäger for a short time. As far as when we got here, that was only a few months ago."

"When you say you got here, you mean Germany?"

She smirked. "No, I mean this time." He looked at her as though she were insane. "I can't believe that you don't find this plausible after some of the situations that you've dealt with."

Gabriel looked down and shook his head. "Kail was the old man... He died in my arms."

Alia bit her lip and looked down. "Humans are creatures of their time. Souls can't be disjointed without preparation—eternity is a difficult concept to grasp when you've been conditioned since you were young to believe that you will die."

"He died... of old age?"

"Yes. Kail arrived with me and was younger than you are now."

"My God..." Gabriel put his head in his hand. "What was he trying to warn us about?"

"The people that he and I fought in the past are after you now."

"That much I gathered. Why now though? Why not when Wolfgang was Shattenjager or even earlier?"

"Because the threat resurfaced when you reclaimed the talisman." She reached into her pocket and withdrew the golden Shattenjager medallion. "And now is the time that we end the threat once and for all."

"What the—"

"I took it from Kail when we arrived. He had no idea." She looked down at it. "I have to leave it... to our child."

"You're..."

"Yes, I'm carrying Kail's son." She smiled sadly. "I wish he could've known."

"I'm terribly confused." Gabriel's brow furrowed in thought. "Can you tell me what's going on now? About everything."

"Of course." She set the talisman back in her pocket. "The cult of Ali Nocht will want to retrieve the ring you hold and free the Maliphrae. They go under a variety of guises from law enforcement to established merchants. The idea is to cover up their objective with some societal role that makes them seem as though they are on the side of the righteous."

"I see. So we could be dealing with... police?"

"Perhaps." She nodded. "And chances are that the ordeal will take place close to here if not in the castle itself."

"What do they need?"

"Two things. The ring and the blood of... someone like me."

"Someone like you? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Let's not get into that right now."

"Like hell!" He stood from the bed. "I won't go into this with a variable. I want to know everything that's going on."

She looked down. "I'm... an immortal."

"Okay... and?" Gabriel waved his hand for her to continue.

"And what? The fact that I'm an immortal should be enough for you. That's why they need me... They need my blood so that they can enact the ritual to free the Maliphrae from the ring and allow it to exist without a host."

"We've been trying to destroy the ring for a while now. If you don't know how, we're dead in the water."

"With two talisman's here, we have the ability." She glanced at the window. "If we focus the power of the talismans along with what power I have and finally align it on a lunar event like the full moon, then we should be able to destroy it and the Maliphrae."

"Not banish it?"

"No, destroy it completely."

"Okay, this plan I like." Gabriel thought a moment. "But that's a lot to make sure of... And what about you? You've got to get back to Kail's time or I won't be born... the talisman won't be there to lose."

"I'm aware of this fact and I'm not sacrificing my life for the destruction of the thing, just making sure that we have the added push we need to destroy the thing."

"Great... What will we need personnel-wise? Will we need Mosely?"

"I think we should do this alone... You and I."

Gabriel looked her in the eye and sat motionless in her gaze. She was an odd woman—he wondered if that thought might not stem from his knowledge that she wasn't technically human. Finally, he nodded and looked away. "Alright. When's the next full moon?" He approached a calendar on the wall and let out an irritated sigh.

"What's wrong?" She walked up beside him.

"It's tomorrow night."


	11. Part 11

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. 

Part 11

Baron Avery gripped his sword loosely, peering darkly into the woods as he and his men trod down the path. A soaked soldier hurried forward, his wet hair slapping against his eyes as he walked. "Milord, what if they aren't here?"

"They're here." He snapped. "I know it."

"No reason for them to stay, Milord." He said his peripheral vision forcing him to turn to the left. As he turned back a heavy fist connected to his nose, sending him stumbling backward and finally dropped him to the ground.

"Don't question my rationale or my instructions again. You won't live to regret it."

The man nodded, holding his bloodied nose as he pushed himself back to his feet and made certain to keep his distance on the Baron. Thunder clapped and a flash exploded on the horizon some moments later. "Not more rain." A man complained, making certain he wasn't within arms reach of the Baron.

"We have to keep moving." The Baron pronounced. "They won't be too far ahead."

"What the—"One of the men in the front started to cry out but his breathing was suddenly labored, the end of his sentence an indistinguishable gurgle. Peering at him, he was holding an arrow that was sticking out of his gut almost buried to the feathers.

"Take cover you fools!" Avery shouted as he tore up the path and leaned against a tree. "Show yourselves cowards!"

Avery's men were in the trees, moving as quietly as they could, searching. Avery's own eyes were wide as he peered into the darkness, trying desperately to see anything at all. A sickening crunch broke the silence as one of his men cried out and stumbled into the path, his rib cage a faucet of blood.

Rain began to pour from the sky again and Avery watched as one of his men stumbled backwards onto the trail, his sword flashing against another blade. It was the woman, her sword flashing against the subtle moonlight peering through the clouds. He watched in awe as she feinted and parried—it almost seemed she was playing with him before she dropped low, spun and as she came around vaulted into the air and decapitated the man with a back swing.

"We need the woman alive!" He cried out. "We need her blood!" He started out onto the trail but a cold blade patted his shoulder.

"Good evening Baron." A man's voice stated from behind. "Pleased to see you on such a lovely night."

"Who in God's name are you that you dare to interfere with the law?"

"Law? You call this law? Perhaps a law you invented but certainly not justice."

"I asked you a question."

"And I have the sword so you should consider your requests and demands a bit more carefully." Kail looked down the path cautiously. "Alia? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She yelled back. "The other two are in the woods. They shouldn't give us any trouble."

"You bastard! You and your bitch have killed several good men."

"You shouldn't have brought them in on your little deed, Baron. Then they wouldn't have wasted their lives on an ideal they probably didn't understand."

"What do you want?"

"Information. What do you want Alia for?"

"That's none of your affair."

"It certainly is my affair and if you don't start talking, then we'll just end the threat with you."

Alia came jogging up and stopped before the Baron, offering him a low and exaggerated bow. "It's so nice to see you again Baron, how's the body reacting? You look mighty upset."

Avery grimaced and looked away, eyes on the ground. "The truth is that I serve a higher master—the fact of it is that our plan needed to happen tonight—during the full moon."

"Why tonight? The full moon lasts more than a day."

"We needed the first night of the full moon."

"For what specifically?" Kail poked him with the sword dragging a groan out of him.

"Years from now, there will be a ritual performed. That ritual will require blood—your blood." He nodded to Alia. "With it, the Maliphrae will be able to walk the earth without a host, free to do its work. We were to set the groundwork. Acquire the ingredients. Begin the process."

"The... maliphrae?" Alia turned away, her head down. "I see."

"What's wrong, Alia?" Kail asked looking over the Baron's shoulder. "What the hell is a Maliphrae?"

"It's a demon." Alia answered for the Baron. "A terrible demon that feeds on souls."

"Why do you want to summon that, Avery?" Kail looked at him oddly. "Don't you think it'd be suicide?"

"The demon promises any who aid in its resurrection, power in this realm. Eternal life... We would be resurrected to glory."

"Over what? It would be devouring anyone that it came in contact with and why not? We'd be nothing more than bite-sized bratwurst. You idiot."

"You would never understand, boy. Will you tell me who you are now?"

"My name is Kail Ritter of Rittersburgh."

"Ritter?" Avery looked over his shoulder. "The prophecy said that you should die."

"You're not doing too well on the fulfillment of prophecy business tonight, Baron."

"Kail, we have to stop it from happening. We have to stop them from performing the ritual."

"How? It's not going to happen for years?"

"It's hopeless for you." Avery chuckled. "There's nothing you can do."

Alia was kicking the dirt in thought, her posture loose. With a heavy sigh she looked at Kail and then to the Baron. "Perhaps now we can't do anything." She thrust her sword into Avery's stomach. "But at least we have the option."

His eyes widened as the blade burrowed easily into his stomach, his jaw quivered and fell open as he looked down. "Tell me what the body's doing now you bastard." She whispered as she twisted the blade and ripped it out.

"Alia, what the hell are you doing?" Kail asked as the baron dropped to his knees, holding the wound tightly. "Why?"

"He wouldn't have stopped."

"You sound like my uncle now—this is the reason you said that they killed my uncle. Why did you lie? Why the ruse?"

"It was the only way to assure that you might take it for what it was worth... that you might change where others were static." The baron collapsed forward into the mud with a sickening slush.

Kail looked down and rubbed his temples. "I don't apprecia—'

"Kail, we don't have time for this." She interrupted. "We have to stop them."

"How?" He sheathed his sword. "He said the ritual won't take place for quite some time. What do you want to do? Wait around?"

She sat in silence, staring off into nowhere. "We're not going to wait around." She finally said. "But we're not going to stop the ritual either."

"What? Why not?"

"To stop the ritual leaves the creature alive."

"If it's summoned then it's too late."

"No, because one of your relatives will stop the ritual and trap the monster. Then we can destroy it."

"What in the good Lord's name are you talking about?"

"No time to explain at the moment." She looked up at him. "Another of your relatives needs our help—desperately so."

"Which?" He gave her a suddenly concerned look. "My father?"

"No." She shook her head. "His name is Gabriel."

"Gabriel?" Kail sighed. "Alia, I don't have a relative named Gabriel."

"Yet." She concluded for him and extended her hand. "We have to move now—we have to pass through to his time and help him."

"Alia, I'm a rational man—Sure, I've read about the supernatural but—"

"If you've read about it, then be a part of it now. Witness it and realize that not all things that can't be explained by the church or the human conscience are evil. Come with me and help your relative before it's too late. Before he dies without a cause."

Kail pursed his lips and looked around the area at the bodies of the men they had killed. If he wanted vengeance, he had achieved it. Reinhold's death had been repaid in full. "I don't pretend to understand this, Alia." He looked her in the eyes. "But I won't let you try something like that alone."

She smiled and extended her hand, sheathing her own blade. "Then let's become history, my love."

Gabriel leaned on the hood of the car looking down at the talisman. It had been a pain in the ass to keep Mosely and Grace from coming along and he was still surprised that he had managed it at all. In the back of his mind, he was worried that they might follow anyway against his request just to be sure that he was all right.

Alia was pacing about the area watching the sky. She was wearing black leggings and a white cotton shirt. The talisman—the duplicate was the only thing he could refer to it as—was hanging from her neck. The sun had set hours ago and she had told him that when the moon was at its apex, they would be able to perform the ritual. "Alia," He started. "What if someone shows up to stop us? How are we going to stop them?"

"We won't be helpless, Gabriel." She walked over to the car and pulled out two blades, strapping one to her waist and tossing him the other. He fumbled with it as it came at him and he thanked God that it was in a scabbard.

"What the hell do you expect me to do with this?" He asked.

"Use it on anyone who tries to stop us?" She asked with a shrug.

"That's why I have this!" He patted the dagger at his belt.

"I see." She turned away and went back to pacing. "I expected something else in Shattenjäger, Gabriel. I apologize."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kail was—he was trained differently than you."

"I imagine the time was a bit more violent." Gabriel felt his pride on the line.

"I suppose." She replied, drawing her sword and making several swift cuts in the air. "One must always be prepared though... wouldn't you agree?"

Gabriel flushed inwardly and grimaced. He hadn't felt truly prepared for any of the cases he had blundered through. "Sure." He couldn't sound convincing and he didn't try. He pulled out the sword and was surprised at how heavy it was. "Why's this so heavy? You'd think the lighter the better."

Alia frowned and crossed over to him, holding out her hand for the sword. As he passed it over to her she looked at him oddly. "This is perfectly balanced, Gabriel. Have you not had sword training?"

He shook his head. "No, I didn't." He pushed off from the car. "And I didn't have voodoo, werewolf or demon hunter training either. Come to think of it, I didn't have any training for any of this but I seem to have done an okay job so far."

"Okay gets you dead." She handed him the sword back. "I would suggest that before you investigate something else, you get some training in... in anything. Luck will only get you so far."

He wanted to continue the argument but he had to agree. More change. Damn it.

"Anyway, can we go over what we're about to do again? Just for my untrained benefit?" He let the sarcasm drip from the last five words.

"Certainly." She sheathed her sword and lifted the amulet off of her chest and peered at it. "As you're aware, when you use the talisman, there is a sensation when it's functioning—ever so slight though it may be. The idea is that the greater the use of its powers, the more energy it requires, the more you'll notice it. In order for this to work, you have to envision that feeling as you've had it before and intensify it. As you do so, we'll be able to destroy the ring and the creature inside."

"How do you know that it won't get out?"

"Because I know everything about the Maliphrae. I know its limitations and when it comes to silver, there's very little that it could accomplish."

Thunder clapped in the distance and darkened clouds rolled overhead reflecting Gabriel's mood. "Great." He complained. "This just sets the fricken scene."

Alia looked up and chuckled wryly, pacing away from the car with her eyes down. "Interesting."

"What's interesting?"

"This is exactly as it was the night that Kail and I came forward."

"You still haven't explained that little trick. How do you do that?"

"Gabriel, all things are not as you know them through legends and television. Suffice to say that I exist in any time I prefer because I'm not bound by its rules. I've been to this time countless times, I've seen the future."

"So how's this going to turn out?"

"Just because I can traverse time, doesn't mean that I can adequately predict what happens."

"Hmm." Gabriel walked away from the car. "Shall we do this then?"

"Almost... The moon is almost in position."

Gabriel pulled out a rust colored handkerchief and regarded it coolly. "Here's the ring, Alia." He said. "What should I do with it? Who should hold it?"

"We'll put it on the ground. I hope the ring itself has no sentimental value for you."

"The only value that it holds is my sanity when it's gone."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Rain started to drip from the sky lazily at first its lethargy driven to a downpour by the crash of thunder and the whip of lightning that flashed the sky.

"Why exactly does every supernatural experience have to be accompanied by this crap?" He waved his arm at the heavens. "You'd think that we'd die of colds more often than supernatural crisis."

"Shh!" She rasped at him as she started to concentrate on the amulet. "It's time."

"Nice warning!" He cried as he took the talisman and tried to remember the sensation when he warded off Von Zell. It was a strange feeling, like the pit of his stomach was being tickled from the inside. As he found that brief passage in his soul, he opened it up and from tickling came nausea, his body convulsed at the sudden expenditure but he closed his eyes and willed himself to concentrate.

"It's working." She whispered. "But we have company."

"Crap!" Gabriel mustered through his teeth as his face was contorted in thought.

"I'll take care of them." She moved away from the ring while drawing her sword and Gabriel heard a conflict. A clash of steel on steel... a gasp and a grotesque crunch... a man screaming his last breath from his lungs. It was all he could do to not look. "Keep it up, Gabriel!" Alia called as if in answer to his struggle.

The brewing storm amounted, thunder exploded as if it was directly above them. Lightning struck the ground now thirty paces away from Gabriel and he fell to the ground. "Alia!" He yelled. "I can't..."

"Shut up and concentrate, Gabriel!" She yelled over the pounding of the rain and hail that was striking the ground.

"You can't do this!" A man who was wallowing on the ground from a side wound cried out. "The Maliphrae is the only thing that can save us!"

"Nothing can save you." Alia sheathed her sword in his chest and buried it into the ground. At that moment someone struck her from behind and she tripped over the body and sprawled in the mud with a groan.

Gabriel opened his eyes and looked in horror as one of the arrivals—a man dressed in a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt, no hair—was about to slam Alia with an overhead strike. He pushed himself to his feet and drew the sword he had at his side charging to parry.

The blade came down before he was ten paces away and he yelled out, hand outstretched. An explosion of gunfire exploded over the storm and three convulsion induced shots later blood spilled from the man's mouth and he fell to the side. Gabriel looked around and saw Mosely approaching slowly. "Shouldn't have left me behind, Knight."

Relieved, Gabriel hurried over to Alia and rolled her over. "I'm alright." She said. "Just lost my breath in the fall."

"We have to hurry." Gabriel looked up. "There isn't a lot of time."

She nodded and let him help her to her feet. Moving back to the ring, they both bowed their heads and concentrated, the talismans coming to glowing life, engulfing their entire bodies in the soft golden light. Ear shattering thunder exploded overhead and Mosely cursed as his hands went to his ears. The two figures near the ring didn't seem to notice, their bodies were momentarily lifted from the ground as a lick of lightning fell between them and threw mud in every direction.

Mosely watched in wonder as the ring lifted to eye level. It seemed to swell and shrink in rapid succession before finally evaporating into a million particles, which remained confined within the blue of the lightning. The static in the air was enough to raise what little hair he had on his head and he could hear crackling all about him—no doubt the rain connecting with it. It was a wonder he hadn't been electrocuted as he noticed he was standing in a small pool of water.

As suddenly as it came, the lightning disappeared and the two figures were lowered to the ground gently. Alia collapsed forward and Gabriel managed to catch her. "Mosely!" He called. "Help me out!"

Mosely hurried over and took one of her arms, pulling her up. The rain stopped, the clouds parted and the moon winked down at them as they moved over to the car. "Is... it...done?" Alia asked, her voice a whispered rasp.

"It is." Gabriel smiled at her as he brushed wet locks of hair from his brow. "We succeeded."

"Kail would be... proud." She smiled and closed her eyes.

"Alia!" Gabriel fought back the anxious urgency in his voice but failed.

Slowly, Alia opened her eyes and smiled. "You don't think that I'd die do you?"

"You had me worried there."

"Be awfully inconvenient for your family line." Her body began to glow. "I've got to take Kail back with me... to be buried... Be so good as to visit his crypt.... I think... I think he'd like that."

Gabriel felt a rush of emotion threaten to overtake him. "Be careful, Alia... Be well."

"Always." She winked at him just before vanishing from his arms.


	12. Part 12

Time Stands Still by Robert Hazelton   
**Disclaimer**: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. 

Epilogue

Gabriel knelt before a sarcophagus, his head bowed in prayer. Grace and Mosely watched from the door, exchanging puzzled looks. "Is he okay? What happened last night?" Grace whispered to Mosely.

Mosely blinked and shrugged. "Hard to explain."

"I've never seen him reverent before."

"He never liked change much... I think he might be a bit more accepting now."

"Why?"

"Last night was quite an eye opener. I think he had no idea he was that powerful... maybe he was thinking that everything he'd done up to this point had been luck. Last night had nothing to do with chance."

Gabriel made the sign of the cross and rose walking over to his friends with a grin. "What's goin on?"

"Just making sure you're okay, Gabriel." Grace clasped her hands behind her back nervously.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He looked between them.

"After last night..." Mosely shrugged. "I was surprised you were already gone this morning when I woke up.

"Had a lot of catching up to do." He glanced back at the coffin he was visiting. "With the person that started it all."

"What do you mean?" Grace asked.

Gabriel shrugged. "I don't really know... But It would be interesting to look back before Kail Ritter to find out if there were many truly supernatural things that the family pulled off. What if we didn't come into true power until Alia's blood entered the line? The talisman just focused the spiritual energy before—but now there's a lot more to it than that."

"And the Ritter's would never believe it to be true back in the era because they, in a sense, were akin to what they hunted."

"Gotta make ya wonder." Gabriel ran a hand through his hair. "Certainly changed my perspective."

"I bet." Mosely looked at Grace. "So... you're not really... normal?"

"Thanks a lot." Gabriel shook his head. "Course I'm normal... Just have... whatever Alia was—that blood in my veins."

The three left the church and started back up toward the castle, Gabriel in the lead with his hands in his pockets. It was almost midday the sun was shining but the chill wind kept the warmth in check. The scent of fresh bread filtered up from a house off in the town somewhere. They arrived at the bridge and Gabriel stopped, looking up at the sun then to the ground. How many times had Alia done the same thing? Looked up at the same sun from a thousand, a million different perspectives... always the same.

That's where it was: Perspective. His had always been static, even when his life changed and he was suddenly no longer poor, he still looked at things the same way. Finally, after having a moment to think without having to rush off to some new problem, he could find the answer that had been eluding him...

"What's up, Gabe?" Mosely asked.

Gabriel looked at him and shrugged. "Nothing man, let's get some breakfast."


End file.
